Dallas officer Michael Krol laid to rest in Michigan, thousands attend

REDFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJBK) - A Dallas Police Officer who was gunned down while working a protest was laid to rest on Tuesday. Hundreds of police from across the country attended and paid their final respects to Dallas police officer Michael Krol, a Michigan native.

Just before 9 a.m., Krol's body was escorted to St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic church in Redford Township, Mich., where his final funeral mass will begin later this morning.

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Krol was a former Wayne County Sheriff's Deputy from 2002-2007 after receiving his criminal justice degree from Wayne County Community College.

He died July 8 when he and other officers was ambushed while working a Black Lives Matter protest in Dallas. The rally and protest was peaceful until the shooting.

The somber service was an extraordinary show of solidarity as officers from Dallas to Detroit showed up to say goodbye to one of their own.

Bagpipes played and hundreds of officers saluted as the casket carrying the 40-year-old Krol is carried from Saint bellarmine Catholic Church in Redford - his hometown. Krol had spent five years with the Wayne county Sheriff's Department and was described as a gentle giant who died doing the job he so loved.

Many in uniform shared his family's sorrow, including Detroit Police Chief James Craig. He received a challenge coin and badge from the Dallas Police Chief while Craig gave a coin in a show of solidarity with the Dallas officers.

In total, 200 officers were in town for the funeral. They flew in on two planes and boarded four buses for the trip.

"We're all in it together. We fight for the community. We fight with the community to eradicate this senseless violence," Craig said.

Security surrounding the funeral was extremely tight. Earlier in the day, sources said a man told a member of the motorcade there would be more funerals for police officers. It wasn't considered a credible threat but it is a concern.

"We're always looking over our shoulders - especially at something like this - you've got probably about a thousand plus cops here - it definitely is something to think about," Grosse Pointe Police Sgt. Joe Adams said.

"We pray for our officers and we pray for our people - we pray that there's unity," Rev. James May said.

The hearse carried officer Krol's body to it's final resting place and passed beneath a huge American flag as the people who lined Inkster Road thanked him for his service. One of those arriving was Kathy Zubok, the mom of a police officer.

"My son's a police officer so i just wanted to show support for them - it's very sad," Zubok said.

An estimated 600 cars showed up to escort the casket to the cemetery. The procession stretched for miles.

Krol was buried with honors at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield.