Residents unite to honor Hull. ‘We need to stick together in our community as a whole’
North Texas residents toughed out intense rain showers to gather across the street from Greenwood Cemetery, where officer Garrett Hull was buried Friday afternoon.
Hull died Sept. 14 after being shot during a pursuit of three robbery suspects.
Fort Worth resident Carlton Emmons, a member of the Patriot Guard Riders of North Texas, said he felt an obligation to pay his respects to Hull and his family. He said his organization works often with Fort Worth and Dallas Police Departments and it was necessary to be there, even if he wasn’t asked to be.
“Police officers are human beings. Their main job is to help keep us safe,” Emmons said. “It just breaks my heart when I hear of an officer being shot and killed. There’s really no words to express our sorrow and our loss.”
Janet and Jamie Hughes moved back to Fort Worth recently after living in Saudi Arabia for 15 years. Janet grew up in Fort Worth and said Hull’s death was a sad event that brought the community together.
“We honor our policemen and the work that they do,” Janet Hughes said. “They put their lives on the line for us. We’re very thankful.”
Although the funeral procession didn’t arrive at the cemetery until 4 p.m., at least 15 people had been waiting since 1 p.m., mingling with others in mourning while police officers directed traffic.
Christy Coleman, 24, and her uncle David Coleman, 55, set up a tent and chairs across the street from the cemetery. They set up American flags, police flags and Christian flags that waved with the wind and rain.
The Colemans, who live in Dallas County, said that since Sept. 11, 2002, they try to attend any local funeral for a law enforcement officer or military veteran.
“Me and my family, we back the blue 100 percent,” Christy Coleman said. “It’s our way of saying we appreciate what they do. ... This is how we were raised. We respect those who do what they do to help us.”
Debbie McClendon and Michael Manginell greeted the procession with small American flags and a poster that read “Thank You Officer Hull.” One policeman stopped to compliment Manginell on his T-shirt that said #TeamPearce, in support of Officer Matt Pearce, who survived a gunbattle in 2016.
It turned out to be Pearce himself.
McClendon said that moments like these are when the city must come together for a common cause.
“We need to stick together in our community as a whole,” she said. “We need to gather around and support each other.”
This story was originally published September 21, 2018 at 6:47 PM with the headline "Residents unite to honor Hull. ‘We need to stick together in our community as a whole’."
