It was a procession fitting of the man they honored.
Hundreds of law enforcement from Arizona, Montana and beyond stood in salute Friday, while others followed in a procession as the body of 23-year-old officer Josh Briese was escorted to a funeral home in Chandler, Arizona.
Briese, who grew up in Billings, had just graduated from the police academy.
"When it happens in your department it’s a shock in the guys. It brought us to our knees," said Jesse Crabtree, chief of the Gila River Police Department, where Briese served.
It's a double tragedy for those who knew Briese in Montana. His father, David Briese, was also killed in the line of duty working as a Yellowstone County sheriff's deputy in 2006.
Briese's body will be taken Montana for a funeral service Wednesday. He will be buried in Edgar.
