On Friday, May 9, in Christiansburg VA, 21 year old Christopher Allen Holmes shoplifted a pack of cigarettes from a convenience store.  He fled the store and an alert was broadcast to the local police department.

About 5:30 am, Christiansburg police office Scott Hylton was pulling into another convenience store to get a cup of coffee.  He spots a car matching the description given for Holmes, and calls it in.  Before he can get out of the car, Holmes charges him, punches him through the open window of the police car and drags him out.  In the ensuing struggle, Holmes gets Officer Hylton's .40 cal. duty weapon and shoots him twice in the face.  Walking back across the parking lot, he fires at patrons who were coming to assist the officer.  Holmes stops, walks back to Hylton and shoots him three more times as he lays on the ground.  Hylton dies in the helicopter taking him to the hospital.  A 20 year veteran of several local police departments, he left a wife an four children.

A sheriff's deputy responding to the call is shot twice. The slugs pass through his windshield, and are stopped by his vest. He is briefly hospitalized and released.

More officers are responding and Holmes is chased about two hundred yards and is fatally shot in a McDonald's parking lot.

---------------

Today, I heard (from a reliable source at the Christiansburg PD) that Holmes' family is demanding a Christiansburg PD "Honor Guard" for his funeral.  This would consist of white gloved officers stopping traffic at all major intersections, dress uniforms, and official representation at the service.

The Chief has stated that he will provide the requested service.  Most of the uniformed officers have advised that they will turn in their stripes/bars if ordered to perform this "duty".


I can understand the family asking for some type of security for the funeral.  The church that Holmes attended has had its doors set afire. Emotions are running high here, but I can't see the community or the Police Department standing for this.  The idea that they would have to honor this murderer in the same way they would honor a mayor, basketball coach or other prominent citizen is abhorrent.

Suggestions?


Link to story:  [url]http://www.wythenews.com/frontpage/MGBX59KKIFD.html[/url]

edited to add link

Generally speaking, honor guards aren't given to criminals.

WTF?  Why would an honor guard be sent to a criminal's funeral?

damn- 2 similiar scenarios in less then 10 years- what's in the water??? Two shoplifting suspects shhoting cops??? WTF?

That's the general topic of discussion.  Aside from the frighteningly similar situations, the dept needs to review weapon retention  techniques.  I, however, ain't gonna be the one to remind them.

Call the press. TV, newapapers, radio stations, etc.

I think the people in this region would be outraged at the families request and simply would not stand for it. I'm certain that Holmes family has found some fucked-up way to rationalize this request.

If you do not wish to get involved in this, IM me with any info you have and I will.

I think the Klan would be proud to stand in for the cops on this one...

I think the Holmes family has every right to expect the proper respect be paid their dearly departed.

Umm, what day is garbage pick up day?

I can't believe the Police Chief would even THINK of honoring that request.  He should be stripped of his rank and cast out for trying to honor someone that shot one of his officers + other deputies coming to help PLUS civilians coming to the officers aid.  It is utterly reprehensible.

I'd turn in my badge if I was ordered to provide "Honor Guard" for a cop killer.

I'm with the cops on this one. Screw this little turd. If he wants an honor guard, tell him to ask Satan to cough up a devil or two. There's plenty where he is...

Instead of an honor guard, how about a firing squad for the family.  Once at the cemetary, just line them up over their graves and take them out one by one.

As ridiculous as this sounds, it is just as reasonable as the families original request for an honor guard.  Fuck them.  I hope the police officer's family takes them to court and sues them into poverty.

Pour a little bleach in the gene pool, eh? [;)]

I volunteer for triggerman....

That's as wrong as two boys kissin'.

The chief seems to be suffering from a testicular deficit.  I wouldn't even provide a Radio Flyer to drag that murderer's carcass to the county dump.  He did what he did.  Let his family deal with it.

I'd encourage all of the officer's to stand together.  Do you think the mayor would stand for his entire police force being fired?

I'd be suprised if the family would even hold a public service now. Anyone have a pic of the family???

Even though I am a "known cop-basher" I have to agree with the police on this. The a$$wipe doesn't deserve anything. I do like the suggestion about the Klan doing the honor guard thing however.

Why not just tell the family of this scummer that he got his 21 gun salute at the crime seen.

Why kind of retarded police chief would even consider making his guys pay respect to the complete piece of murdering trash that killed oneof their co-workers.  Is this an April Fool's story???

I bet there's a family in NY who would provide such an honor gaurd!!! Oh, and also a family in  Shrieveport,LA !!

21 gun salute, live rounds, 21 open pits (or one very large) and 21 family members of the scumbag.  Works for me!!!!!  I hope like hell that the family of the murdered officer sues the family of the scumbag into the stone age.  Perhaps some one could break into that scumbags families home and commence doing some damage.  Then when they call 911, let the dispatcher say that they are sorry, but the officer that would have come to their assistance was murdered by a shitbag named Christopher Allen Holmes!!!!

[bs] He does not deserve a Honor Guard nor should he get one.
He deserves to have every Officer pissing on his grave after he is in the ground.
No-way in hell he would get shit from the Police Department if I was the Captain.
What is this world coming to if a Officer is murdered and the attempted murder of another Officer over a pack of smokes?

Send his body to the DUMP, where it belongs.As for the rest of his family, SHUT UP !

Have the Honor Guard drop the coffin.

I'm only a part-time "suspected cop basher", and I also agree completely with the uniformed officers.

If forced to provide an "honor guard" for that slimebag, they should show up at the funeral with a cooler full of beer, some chips and other snacks, and some lawnchairs.  Make a party out of the funeral for the former waste of breathable oxygen.  At the end of the service, the officers can give a 21 belch salute to send the little bastard on his way properly.