‘Forever a hero’: Grieving community honors fallen Selma police officer
The crowd that gathered Thursday to honor fallen Selma Police officer Gonzalo Carrasco grew into the night.
As many as 500 people steadily showing up for an emotional vigil at Selma’s Veterans Plaza.
Carrasco, a 24-year-old father-to-be who was in his second year with the Selma Police Department, was allegedly shot and killed by a known gang member, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said, while responding to a call for help Tuesday from a Selma resident.
Carrasco’s death marked the first time in Selma’s 100-plus years of existence that one of its police officers died in the line of duty.
Many Selma residents remain shocked and saddened by the loss of a police officer and that such a violent incident occurred in their community.
“The bravery that he displayed, standing up for us citizens while protecting us, he paid the ultimate price,” Selma resident Jerry Zapata said. “All we can do is thank him.
“Thank all the officers for what they have done and continue to do for us.”
Before the vigil began, Maria Jaramillo, a native of Guanajuato, paused in front of votive candles and flowers left at Veterans Plaza in honor of Carrasco.
“I just came to visit,” she said in Spanish.
“There are too many guns in this country. He had so little time to live,” she added as she looked at a portrait of Carrasco placed in the middle of the flowers.
“May he rest in peace. And may his family have peace.”
Kealoha Kaolelopone, a native of Hawaii who now lives in Selma, paused at the flowers and said that Carrasco helped him with a problem that he had taken to the Selma City Council.
“He was a good man.”
Nathelie Tucker knelt in front of the monument, silent, for several minutes.
“I grew up here and both my parents are cops,” she said. “I just wanted to pay my respects.”
If life is about being a light and inspiring others, then Carrasco succeeded.
Not only were candles lit in his honor, the hundreds in attendance held up their cell phones to shine their camera light as another sign of remembrance.
Even the giant electronic sign that drivers encounter as they pass Toyota of Selma on Highway 99 was dedicated to the fallen officer Thursday.
“Officer Gonzalo Carrasco Jr.,” it flashed. “Never Forgotten.”
Ivonne Gonzalez, marketing director, said dealership owner Mike Farney wanted to leave the message up at least through the weekend.
But it was perhaps one simple cardboard sign that best summed up what many thought of Carrasco: “Forever a hero.”
“We are less because of this tragedy,” Selma Mayor Scott Robertson said to the crowd in attendance. “We’re in this together. We have to grieve together. We have to survive this together and we have to go on and honor our officer’s memory.”
Countless messages of “thoughts and prayers” could be seen online in support of Carrasco and the city of Selma with the police killing hitting close to home for countless other communities and law enforcement agencies.
In person, officers from the Kingsburg, Dinuba and Reedley police departments showed up for the vigil Thursday, as did deputies with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office.
Then just before the vigil wrapped up, several local law enforcement vehicles were lit up with the red, white and blue colors flashing from their emergency light bars.
“This is awesome,” said Selma resident Consuelo Hernandez. “A lot more people (showed up) than I thought would be here. It’s nice that we get together and pray for our city and Officer Carrasco.
“We just want Selma PD or all the police officers that are here to know, we support them, we love them and we’re going to support them the best that we can.”
