Memorial Reflects Life, Service Of Slain Deputy

Thousands of law officers and members of the public attended the memorial service in the Tacoma Dome for Pierce County sheriff's Deputy Kent Mundell.

Mundell, 44, and another deputy, Sgt. Nick Hausner, were shot on Dec. 21 while responding to a domestic violence call at a home near Eatonville. Hausner survived his wounds, but Mundell was taken off life support on Dec. 28.

Honor guards, musicians from different law enforcement agencies and the military all took part in Tuesday’s memorial that began at 1 p.m. and ended around 4 p.m.

"I'm sorry for the loss of a deeply good man. Kent was a man who took the idea of service seriously," said Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor.

UNCUT: Sheriff Paul Pastor's Remarks About Kent Mundell

Pastor said the magnitude of losing five officers in two months "staggers us," but that the community should know, "We will not fear to do our jobs; we will not hesitate to carry out our mission."

Mundell’s mother, Patricia Stafford, also spoke about her son. See the video.

"He told me that someday he might be called upon, and he felt that he would, to give his life. He said other people would view him as a hero, but he said, 'Mom, I'm not. I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing,'" Stafford said.

She said, "He was truly a warrior who counted the price before entering the battle."

Stafford described how Mundell lived his life "without fear, without regrets."

UNCUT: Video Remembrance Of Kent Mundell UNCUT: Jonathan Harris Song 'Thanks To You I'm Free'

Mundell's fellow deputies talked about his humor and how he was a magnet for action while patrolling and answering calls.

"It didn't matter if it was a 70-year-old woman, there was going to be a foot chase or there was gonna be a car chase," said Jim Jones of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

UNCUT: Fellow Officers Share Stories About Mundell UNCUT: Final Honors At Memorial Ceremony WATCH IT: Many Pause To Watch Memorial

At the memorial, it was also announced that Mundell was an organ donor, and 20 people have been helped since his death.

The slain officer was hired with the Pierce County sheriff's department in January of 2000. Mundell has worked as a patrol deputy in South Hill and most recently with the Mountain detachment.

Over the course of his career with the Sheriff's Department, he served as a member of the Air Operations, Clandestine Lab Team, and as a Safety Committee Representative.

He is survived by his wife, Lisa, and their two children, 16-year-old daughter, Kirsten, and 10-year-old son, Austin.

Kirsten and Austin took part in the flag ceremony honoring their father. They added a streamer with his name on it to a pole with the department’s colors and the names of four previous sheriff’s deputies killed in the line of duty.

IMAGES: Deputy's Memorial At Tacoma Dome IMAGES: Deputy's Motorcade To Tacoma Memorial

The officer's family and 80 motorcycle officers escorted the slain deputy's body from Frontier Park in Graham to the Puyallup Fair Grounds at 9:15 a.m. Watch video

A second procession of hundreds of police vehicles from the fairgrounds started at 10 a.m. The deputy's body arrived at the Tacoma Dome shortly after 11 a.m.

As the hearse and police vehicles passed by, dozens of people lined the streets. Some held signs, flags or saluted as they stood in the rain.

“I think everybody's heartbroken about the whole situation and you know all our officers are in harm's way every day and it kind of brings it home right here," said Jerry Faker who watched the procession.

WATCH IT: Citizens Line Streets As Motorcade Passes

Drivers passing by the Tacoma Dome were reminded of the somber event on the stadium's reader board as it scrolls the memorial announcement and images of the slain deputy.

Police say David E. Crable, 35, ambushed Mundell and Hausner, 43, as they responded to a domestic disturbance at the home of Crable's brother. Family members had called to have an intoxicated Crable removed from the home. Mundell was able to return fire on Crable, who also died.

The shootings marked the third time in less than eight weeks that police officers in the region were ambushed and killed.

Mourners came to the Tacoma Dome on Dec. 8 to honor Lakewood police Sgt. Mark Renninger and Officers Ronald Owens, Tina Griswold, and Greg Richards, who were killed Nov. 28 at a coffee shop in the Tacoma suburb of Parkland. Maurice Clemmons, the accused gunman, was shot to death by a Seattle police officer two days later.

On Halloween night, Seattle Officer Timothy Brenton was killed as he sat in his patrol car. Christopher Monfort, 41, has been charged with aggravated first-degree murder in his death.

"We look forward to taking this energy forward with us to do something about what's happened over the last six weeks," said Det. Ed Troyer of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.