WATSEKA, Ill. (WCIA) — Indiana Sheriff’s Corporal Brandon Schrieber received Central Illinois’ best as his procession passed through the region on Thursday .
Schreiber was shot Labor Day weekend when a police chase crossed state lines. He was hit during an exchange of gunfire with the suspect, and he passed away on Wednesday .
Schreiber received two memorial processions following his passing — one that took him to Springfield shortly after he died and one that took him home on Thursday.
Starting in Springfield, the procession traveled west on I-72 and north on I-57 before getting off at Gilman and passing through Watseka.
‘Never forget never expires’: Participants climb 110 flights in honor of 9/11 anniversary Those who paid their respects to the fallen Corporal were feeling the loss.
“We had a huge support here between businesses, the city, all our departments coming together,” said Loren Grosvenor, Watseka’s Public Works Director.
“It’s one of those things that you don’t necessarily like to have to do,” said Watseka resident Dan Worthey. “But out of respect, we are here.”
Watseka responded by flying thin blue line flags, something that one Watseka officer appreciates.
“It really touches us in a special way,” said Officer Quincy Spears. “And to have that flag stand behind us and all our brothers and sisters throughout the nation, it’s really heartfelt.”
Those weren’t the only decorations. Traditional American flags lined the path of the processional down Walnut Street. Organizers said people were working nonstop to get poles cut in time for Thursday.
“With a small community like this, it really shows that we are one family,” Grosvenor said. “We had so much support from even our local schools, FFA coming out.”
He said that’s what happens in a city as tightly knit as this one, and when community members have a good relationship with its law enforcement officers.
“Everywhere you go and people just thanking you for your services and you know, it’s just really heartfelt,” Spears said.
“We feel real comfortable around them and they feel comfortable around us,” Worthey added.
Central IL community honors lives lost in 9/11 attacks, 23 years later After passing through Watseka, Schreiber’s procession crossed into Indiana and ended in Brookstown.
In a statement on Facebook , Newton County Sheriff Shannon Cothran thanked everyone in Illinois and Indiana who paid their respects. The full statement is below:
We, all of us at the Newton County Sheriff’s Office and on behalf of the Schreiber family, were overwhelmed with what we saw yesterday when we escorted Brandon from Champaign-Urbana to Springfield and today from Springfield to Brookston.
The people of Illinois have treated us well and gave Brandon so much respect. Overpasses lined with fire trucks, EMS, police and citizens. All the police and emergency responder vehicles that joined us along the way were amazing and they all did a terrific job. The Illinois State Police motorcycle officers and other motorcycle officers from various cities went above and beyond with their traffic control and escort.
The public’s showing…. I cannot even begin to explain the feeling that overcame so many of us to see the people line the streets as we came through Iroquois County, IL and every community through Indiana. To see adults standing at the roadside wiping tears from their faces as we passed and their heartfelt reactions was a testament to the respect that Corporal Schreiber inspired and reminds us of the humanity that binds us all and keeps us going.
The children were waving flags in an attempt to respect something they may not even understand. It shows a lot of parents are doing their best to raise their kids to be respectful and compassionate. The amount of flowers on Corporal Schreiber’s car at the Newton County courthouse is such a site, enough to make a grown man weep.
I hope to be able to address more details about how so many agencies have all gone out of their way to not only show Brandon respect but how they have treated us like family.
But, for today, to the public; you have our thanks and gratitude for what was displayed as we passed through each community.
Hold your kids tight and walk in peace.
Newton County Sheriff Shannon Cothran
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