Update: The Springfield Police Department said that, "In light of recent threats and in the interest of public health and safety, the burial ceremony for fallen Springfield Police Officer Christopher Walsh will no longer be open to the general public. All members of the public will be turned away at the cemetery."
Police Department spokeswoman, Jasmine Bailey, said someone who claimed to have COVID-19 threatened to go to the ceremony and attempt to infect officers in attendance.
The department encourages the public to watch a live stream of the burial and to watch the procession along Battlefield Rd.
Original Story: A private funeral service will be held for Springfield Police officer, Christopher Walsh on March 21. Walsh died in the line of duty Sunday night. He was shot while responding to a mass shooting at a convenience store on E. Chestnut Expressway.
The service will be private, in accordance with the family’s wishes, according to the police department.
It will be followed by a procession as Walsh’s body is transported to Rivermonte Memorial Gardens on S. Lone Pine for burial with full honors. Other law enforcement agencies are invited to participate. They should arrive at the parking lot at New Covenant Academy by 1:30.
The public is invited to view the procession from Battlefield Rd. at Kansas Expressway to Lone Pine. It’s expected to start around 2:30.
The burial will take place at Rivermonte Memorial Gardens’ Veterans II lot and will be live-streamed on the Springfield Police Department Facebook Page (@SGFPolice).
Governor Mike Parson has ordered that U.S. and Missouri flags in the state be flown at half-staff Saturday in honor of Walsh.
“Officer Christopher Walsh leaves us with a legacy of brave, selfless service to Missouri and our nation that is an inspiration to us all," said Parson in news release. "Officer Walsh is a hero we will never forget.”
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