This Tuesday, an emotional caravan of police vehicles traveled through the streets in tribute to Cuban-American Sergeant Elio Díaz, who was tragically killed last Sunday during a traffic stop.
The tribute to Sergeant Díaz continues to grow: From the makeshift memorial at the Chevron station, where he lost his life, to the heartwarming caravan that traveled to Venice and returned to Charlotte County, residents have come together to honor his memory.
"Participating in this today was very, very solemn for us," said Charlie Thorpe, chief of police for the city of Venice.
"It was an honor for us to be part of that, to take them to the funeral home in a safe and respectful manner," he added.
Officials from various agencies worked together to escort the funeral procession to and from Farley Funeral Home in Venice.
Among them were the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office, the North Port Police Department, the Venice Fire Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol.
In addition to the police and rescue agencies, the community also showed its support spontaneously.
Chief Thorpe also expressed his empathy for Sheriff Bill Prummell, who leads the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, pointing out the personal impact that a loss like this has.
"As the head of an agency, I understand what you are going through right now. It's something that hits close to home. We see that these kinds of tragedies occur many times, unfortunately," Thorpe said.
Upcoming tributes
The Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office announced that this Thursday, there will be a public viewing of Sergeant Elio Díaz's remains at the Charlotte Memorial Funeral Home from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
His funeral will also be open to the public and will take place this Friday at the Babcock Ranch sports pavilion.
Confirmation of the procession route details is expected, and they will be shared as soon as they are available.
Sergeant Elio Díaz, a Cuban-American police officer from Charlotte County, was shot and killed during a traffic stop last Sunday, an incident that left the community and the police department he served for over a decade in shock.
Elio Díaz was born in Cuba and immigrated to the United States at the age of nine, settling with his family in the Miami area.
At the age of 30, in 2013, he joined the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, where he built an exemplary career that earned him numerous accolades.
On the afternoon of Sunday, December 15, Elio Díaz stopped a vehicle at a Chevron gas station located on Tamiami Trail, near Charlotte Harbor.
During the traffic stop, 23-year-old Andrew Mostyn Jr. opened fire on the officer with a rifle, fatally wounding him. Although Officer Elio Díaz was rushed to a hospital on Sunday afternoon, he sadly succumbed to his injuries.
The assailant fled the scene but was later located by the officers. When he attempted to resist and brandish his weapon again, he was shot down.
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