Hundreds attend memorial service for slain Yavapai County Sgt. Rick Lopez
Dozens of people from the Prescott community and hundreds of uniformed law enforcement personnel from across the state gathered Wednesday for a memorial service to honor Yavapai County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Rick Lopez, who was shot and killed in the line of duty last week.
The ceremony for Lopez, also known as "R-Lo," officially began with a procession through town that included countless emergency services vehicles from various departments near and far, including Border Patrol and the U.S. Forest Service in addition to local entities.
Notably, at request of Lopez's family, almost every guest was clad in bright colors, showcasing vibrant Hawaiian shirts and loud floral patterns, highlighting the light that Lopez brought into the world.
The first memorial service was conducted inside the Findlay Toyota Center in downtown Prescott and featured emotional speeches from Lopez's friends and colleagues, who described the fallen sergeant as a prankster who took every opportunity to make a positive impact on his community.
Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes looked back fondly on Lopez's dedication to the job and the community, particularly to children. Lopez never missed the annual "Shop with a Cop" program, he recalled, which pairs up children in need with a local law enforcement officer, routinely going above and beyond the call of duty. Whether that meant making sure underprivileged kids had presents under their tree on Christmas or driving a family home to Tuba City after their car broke down, Lopez never hesitated to help out, Rhodes said.
"He was a hero but not in the way that you look for on television, not in the way we look for in the movies," he said. "But he was somebody's hero everyday."
Lopez began at the YCSO in 2008 after leaving a better-paying, 20-year career at Safeway, answering what he saw as a calling to community service. Over the next 14 years on duty, Lopez worked as a field training officer, a criminal investigator and a negotiator for the SWAT Team before being promoted to Sergeant in 2018.
Speaking about the man he worked closely with for over a decade, "Rick was an irreplaceable member of the YCSO," Rhodes said through tears.
"I am so sorry I was unable to prevent this," he told Lopez's family.
The memorial ceremony concluded outside with a traditional hero's send-off that included a presentation of the flag to Lopez's family, an honor guard salute and a rider-less horse. The Sheriff's Office also read out last call, officially marking Lopez's end of watch on duty.
On June 28, Lopez was trying to detain a person suspected of theft when he was shot, Rhodes said in a news conference the evening of the incident. It remains unclear what exactly led to the shooting. Lopez was the first line of duty death for the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office in 49 years. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters.
A procession to honor Lopez was held Wednesday in Phoenix. The community previously held a candlelight vigil to honor Lopez and his family on Sunday.
Contact northern Arizona reporter Lacey Latch at llatch@gannett.com or on social media @laceylatch.
Coverage of northern Arizona on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is funded by the nonprofit Report for America and a grant from the the Vitalyst Health Foundation in association with The Arizona Republic.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Hundreds attend memorial service for Yavapai County Sgt. Rick Lopez
