Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino Remembered As 'Knight In Shining Armor'
CHARLTON (CBS/AP) — Police from around the country were among thousands of people in Charlton Friday for the funeral for Auburn police officer Ronald Tarentino, who was recalled as a "cop's cop" and "knight in shining armor."
Tarentino was shot in the back by Jorge Zambrano during a traffic stop early Sunday. Zambrano was later killed in a shootout with state police.
PHOTOS: Officer Ronald Tarentino Laid To Rest
The Baptist service for Officer Tarentino began at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Charlton and lasted for nearly two hours.
Caitlin Tarentino, Ronald's sister, gave an emotional eulogy.
"Over the last week I have been asking myself over and over again if this was really happening. Why did this have to happen? Why was my brother punished for doing his job?" Caitlin said through tears.
"As the children of a police officer we were raised to love and respect police officers and any member of public safety. We hope from our tragedy those values will be reinforced in others and there will be change because police lives matter."
Watch: Officer Ron Tarentino's Sister Delivers Eulogy
Officer Tarentino's son Spenser, a high school senior, echoed that sentiment.
"Police officers deserve so much more respect than they get. You guys do one of the hardest jobs in the world. People are so disrespectful," Spenser Tarentino said.
"And I hope my dad did not go in vain and something good comes out of this in that people realize they need to start realizing and addressing police officers for everything that they do. I can't do anything but hope obviously something good comes out of this."
Family, friends and colleagues also shared stories that showed the humorous side of Officer Tarentino.
Caitlin said Officer Tarentino, who has three children, was "born to be a father."
"There is a piece of him in each of his boys," Caitlin said.
Auburn Police Chief Andrew Sluckis said Officer Tarentino was a humble man who had a "larger than life personality that always brightened our days and nights."
"Ron was the consummate professional, truly a cop's cop and a person in need's knight in shining armor," Sluckis said.
"Sadly his life was taken from us by a feckless coward with a gun. I pray that something positive will come from this tragedy. I think if Ron were here today he would say 'Do not allow my death to stand for nothing. Come together. Work together. Support one another and fix what is broken.'"
The church service was followed by a burial at Greenville Baptist Church Cemetery in Tarentino's hometown of Leicester.
Tarentino was the 42-year-old son of a police officer.
Prior to the funeral service, Officer Tarentino's wife Tricia thanked the community for an outpouring of support.
"Ron would be so touched to see how much he was loved," Tricia said.
Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker met the Tarentrino family Thursday at the officer's wake.
"Just really special people," Baker said. "And handling what really has to be a catastrophe with just an incredible amount of grace."
Among those attending the wake were childhood friends like Billy Flynn, who attended Tewksbury Memorial High School with Tarentino and had kept in touch with his old friend over the years.
"Not that this should have happened to anybody, but Ron was the last guy this should have happened to," Flynn told the Worcester Telegram and Gazette.
Also able to attend the funeral was a Massachusetts State Police Special Tactical Oerations Team Trooper who was shot in the shoulder by Zambrano when he was hiding in an Oxford duplex.
The unidentified trooper was released from the UMass Hospital-Lakeside on Thursday.
The Auburn Police Department set up a memorial fund for the Tarentino family. Donations can be made to:
Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr. Memorial Fund
C/O Savers Bank
38 Auburn Street
Auburn, MA 01501
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports
(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)