Mourners pay respects at wake for slain Officer Ramos

A wake was held Friday for NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos, one of the two officers who were fatally shot in Brooklyn last weekend. The wake was held at the Christ Tabernacle Church on Myrtle Avenue in Glendale,

News 12 Staff

Dec 27, 2014, 7:43 AM

Updated 3,629 days ago

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A wake was held Friday for NYPD Officer Rafael Ramos, one of the two officers who were fatally shot in Brooklyn last weekend.
The wake was held at the Christ Tabernacle Church on Myrtle Avenue in Glendale, Queens. A church representative said Ramos had been a member of the congregation for 14 years, serving as an usher and volunteering to help the homeless.
"He was a gift to our church," pastor Ralph Castillo said. "We loved his faithfulness and the way that he served people, and we're going to miss him a great deal."
A nonstop stream of officers paid their respects, with lines to enter the funeral home stretching back more than a dozen blocks. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton and PBA President Pat Lynch were among the attendees.
The 40-year-old father of two will be laid to rest Saturday with a funeral at the same church.
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Vice President Joe Biden are expected to attend the funeral.
Officer Ramos and his partner, Officer Wenjian Liu, were posthumously promoted to first class detective two days after their deaths.
Officer Liu's funeral arrangements haven't been finalized.