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Hundreds honor fallen trooper's funeral procession

Hundreds lined the streets of downtown Watertown Saturday for the funeral procession of New York Ttate Trooper Joel Davis, who was killed while responding to a domestic abuse call last week. 

Watertown's Public Square fell silent when the procession arrived. With hands on their hearts, people solemnly watched as Davis took his last ride through Watertown. Kristi Chubb, who first met Davis 12 years ago, says she was not surprised to see so many people out because of the oversized presence he had in the area as an officer and a kids baseball coach.

"I think that's what makes me more emotional is knowing all the lives and people that he has touched," Chubb said. 

But many of those who gathered for the procession did not know Davis, like Michon Caldwell and Brinton Baker, who said it was important to honor the trooper especially since he died while on duty.

"He was doing his job he was doing something to help the community," Caldwell said.

"He's an upstanding guy and police lives matter," Baker said. 

Janie Barbalich says it was important for citizens like her to show support for law enforcement and the sacrifices they make every day.

"People don't realize how hard it is for them and I think sometimes that people don't realize that that every time they put their uniform on, sometimes they don't come home and this time he didn't come home," Barbalich said. 

Credit Payne Horning / WRVO News
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WRVO News
Jeff Shannon, owner of KDM Kustoms in Watertown, is raising money for Trooper Joel Davis' family by selling decals of his badge.

Jeff Shannon, who owns a local auto body shop, says that kind of community support is characteristic of Watertown as evidenced by the money he's raising for Davis' wife and three children by selling car decals of his badge.

"The support has been overwhelming," Shannon said. "I'm just glad everybody came together the way they did."

Police say Justin Walters, a Fort Drum soldier, shot and killed Davis. Walters, who is also accused of killing his wife, has been charged with first and second-degree murder.

Payne Horning is a reporter and producer, primarily focusing on the city of Oswego and Oswego County. He has a passion for covering local politics and how it impacts the lives of everyday citizens. Originally from Iowa, Horning moved to Muncie, Indiana to study journalism, telecommunications and political science at Ball State University. While there, he worked as a reporter and substitute host at Indiana Public Radio. He also covered the 2015 session of the Indiana General Assembly for the statewide Indiana Public Broadcasting network.