A nonstop stream of mourners Monday visited a memorial to Officer Michael Chesna that has grown outside of the police station in Weymouth. The hundreds of visitors brought flowers, prayers and their support for police.
Many of those paying their respects were mothers who brought their young children. Christine O'Hara had her nine-year-old daughter Megan with her, because Megan plans on attending the Weymouth police academy summer camp. She said she is interested in becoming a police officer. When asked if what happened to officer Chesna scared her, she responded, "No, but I am a little nervous too."
April McCormack of Dedham brought her nine-year-old twins and her seven-year-old son because she said she can't explain the violence that they see and hear about in the news, but she wanted them to "see how the community is responding to the death of a hero."
Many mourners said they were heartbroken for Chesna's family — he leaves behind a wife and two children, ages nine and four.
Jamie Soule noted the irony of Chesna risking his life in the military only to have it end in Weymouth.
"That young man did a tour of duty in Iraq and a tour of duty in Afghanistan — arguably the most dangerous places in the world," he said, "and he comes home to Weymouth to be killed by some scumbag. It just makes no sense."
Chesna was killed Sunday in a confrontation with a suspect who allegedly fled the scene of a car accident and was vandalizing a nearby home. The suspect, Emanuel Lopes, allegedly killed Chesna and a bystander.
Weymouth officers, joined by dozens of police from other towns rode in a motorcycle procession to Boston to, as they put it "bring the fallen hero's body back home to Weymouth," where funeral arrangements are being made.
