Standing over the gleaming silver casket of fallen police officer Donald “Donnie” Young, the archbishop of Denver began his funeral service by shaking blessed water from a gold aspergillum.
As the droplets fell, so did tears throughout the church.
The reality of their loss seemed to hit many at the first sight of the seven pallbearers who accompanied Young’s casket into the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception on Friday.
More than 3,000 people gathered inside and out to honor the noted detective, who was shot to death early May 8 as he worked security at a baptismal celebration.
The service was an emotional memorial to the detective, the husband, the father.
“The best tribute we can pay to Donnie Young is to love and care for his family with our prayers and support,” said Archbishop Charles Chaput.
The mourners began filing into the cathedral nearly two hours before the 10:30 a.m. service, crowding the back of the church and lining the streets outside, eventually hundreds deep, row after row of navy, black and gray.
Occasionally, a black leather jacket, adorned with a Harley-Davidson logo, could be spotted in the throngs, a nod to Young’s love of motorcycles.
Young’s widow, Kelly Young, sat near the front of the church, their 5-year-old daughter, Kelsey, her hair pulled into two high ponytails, seated on her lap, and their 13-year-old daughter, Kourtney, next to her.
Eight rows away, Young’s 7-year-old son, Tanner Segura, accompanied by his mother, Lisa, kept turning to stare at the officers who wept for his father.
The 60th Denver police officer killed in the line of duty, Young will be commemorated through memorial pins carrying badge No. 93021, Police Chief Gerry Whitman said during the service.
“We will wear the memorial pin with pride,” Whitman said, “until the next unfortunate day that the ultimate sacrifice is made by a Denver police officer.”
Detective Jeff Baran recalled Young’s energy and engaging grin.
“That smile will forever be in my head,” Baran said, minutes before dissolving into tears.
Outside the basilica on East Colfax Avenue, Mayor John Hickenlooper called Young’s death “the worst thing” and vowed that the killer, who remains at large, would be caught.
“I can’t believe we missed him,” Hickenlooper said of the suspect, 19-year-old Raul Garcia-Gomez, who police say killed Young and wounded fellow Detective John “Jack” Bishop after they ejected him from a party.
Former Denver District Attorney Bill Ritter, who attended the service, said the death of a police officer has a “ripple effect” that is long lasting.
“While we live this tragedy today,” Ritter said, “these families – all the families of the fallen officers – live it for a lifetime.”
Gov. Bill Owens stood to the side by himself outside the basilica, looking at the hundreds of patrol cars from around the state that lined up for the procession.
“I hope these police officers understand we do appreciate them for what they do,” Owens said.
It took several minutes for the line of cars to gather at Fort Logan National Cemetery, where Young was buried.
At the conclusion of the service there, Kelly Young took her youngest daughter’s hand and coaxed the little girl to run her fingertips along her father’s casket.
Kelsey hesitated and then complied, giving a final brief touch in a sorrowful goodbye.
Then the slain detective’s casket, draped in an American flag, was carried by fellow Denver police officers. One officer’s lips quivered as he placed his white-gloved hand on the casket.
In addition to family, friends and throngs of officers, the burial was attended by Hickenlooper, District Attorney Mitch Morrissey and Denver Safety Manager Al LaCabe.
As mourners prayed, including reciting the Lord’s Prayer, family members seated in front of the casket held hands and wept.
During the service, the Rev. Sean McGrath presented Kelly, Kelsey and Kourtney each with a crucifix and offered them words of comfort.
Bagpipers played “Amazing Grace,” and members of a Denver police color guard lifted the flag above the casket and held it there until the song ended.
Members of the Denver Police Department SWAT team fired a 21-gun salute, followed by a bugler who played taps.
As the bugler played, the thousands of police officers present saluted Young in unison, and the color guard slowly folded the flag that had draped the casket.
An officer presented the flag to Whitman, who knelt in front of Young’s widow and gave it to her. Whitman then presented Young’s police shield to the detective’s father, Donald Young Sr., who openly wept.
Twenty-one white doves were released into the air and flew in a circle around the mourners before winging out of sight.
Family members then filed by the casket, each placing a yellow or red rose on top and offering a final goodbye.
Staff writer Kieran Nicholson can be reached at 303-820-1822 or knicholson@denverpost.com.
Staff writer Amy Herdy can be reached at 303-820-1752 or aherdy@denverpost.com.
