'We're a brotherhood': Estimated 2,000 people from across the country attend New Mexico State Police officer's funeral

New Mexico law enforcement and corrections officers lined the road leading to the Legacy Church-Central Campus in Albuquerque on Wednesday.

As the hearse carrying officer Justin Hare’s urn arrived, a shot was fired in salute as he passed each officer. The hearse parked, and New Mexico State Police officers carried the urn inside.

Hare, an Albuquerque-born NMSP officer, was killed in the line of duty along Interstate 40 on March 15. He was 35 years old.

People from as far as Virginia were among the 2,000 people who attended Hare’s celebration of life.

“Anytime something like this happens, whether it’s one, two, 3,000 miles away, we still feel we’re a brotherhood,” Virginia State Police senior trooper Micah Martin said. “We wanted to come out as Virginia State Police and pay our respects for a fallen brother.”

Hare never feared taking a call, regardless of how dangerous it may have been. What he feared was letting other people down, NMSP officer Antonio Esparza said during the service.

NMSP officer Michael Griego remembered Hare as a man who would do anything for anyone. Griego recounted when he was dispatched to a call of a stranded driver after midnight in a remote place in Quay County.

Griego said he called Hare because Griego knew Hare would have the tools to fix the driver’s vehicle. Hare came out in his own vehicle with his own tools.

While they were unsuccessful, “that was the type of person that officer Hare was,” Griego said.

Two weeks ago, Hare responded to a call in which he tried to help another motorist in the dark.

In the early morning of March 15, Hare responded to a car with a flat tire along I-40 near Tucumcari. Police say the driver, Jaremy Smith, shot Hare and took his vehicle before crashing it down the road.

Three days later, Bernalillo County deputies shot and injured Smith in Southwest Albuquerque after a gas station clerk called 911 when seeing Smith walking.

Smith has since been federally charged in Hare’s death and is a suspect in the the death of another first responder, South Carolina paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore.

Celebration of life for fallen New Mexico State Police officer Justin Hare

‘State Police!’

Anger was among the emotions before and during Hare’s service.

Retired State Police officer Stan Lundy said he was angry and frustrated after learning about Hare’s death.

“Somebody like this thinks it’s an OK behavior,” Lundy said. “That’s very sad. You are here to serve the public and (they) get treated like that. It’s just terrible.”

Inside the sanctuary, State Police Chief Troy Weisler said Hare’s last words were about trying to help another man.

“For those who had any doubt that there is evil in the world, we unfortunately have the video that proves there is,” he said.

Weisler said despite the tragedy, NMSP will continue forward.

“For my brothers and sisters in uniform, I know you are mourning, and I am mourning with you,” he said. “Justin’s sacrifice will not be in vain. We will not be deterred.”

Weisler finished his speech by saying, “Justin, even though your watch has come to an end, there’s no doubt you will forever be part of the black and gray.”

NMSP officers then yelled, “State Police!”

‘How do we respond ?’

Justin Hare’s father, Jim Hare, thanked everyone for their support and coming to the service.

“(But) at the end of the day, we need to remember that Justin was not killed by a gun,” Jim Hare said.

He was killed by an “evil human being,” Jim Hare said.

Legacy Church pastor Steve Smothermon said he understands people’s anger before asking, “How do we respond from this evil act?”

Today, he said, “We can choose to forgive. We can choose because God forgives us for anything we do, and none of us in here are without sin.

“None of us here are perfect.”