Officer Jonathan Molina laid to rest

Officer Jonathan Molina has joined his fellow servicemen and servicewomen.

OnFriday,Molina was laid to rest following a funeral service at St. Patrick Cathedral in downtown El Paso.

Among those in attendance: more than 100 El Paso police officers. They could be seen near Arizona and Mesastreetsin the waving shadow of a gigantic American flag hangingfroma fire truck near the peak of the cathedral. While each man and woman looked stoic, it was clear that this was not a regular day for any of the officers.

Inside thechurch,family and friends fought through tears reading from theBibleas dozens of Molina’s closest friends watched.

Shortly after the ceremony finished, a procession led Molina on his final journey. A man who was stationed in both Iraq and Afghanistan took a shorter trip this time, to the Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

Between a 21-gun salute, bagpipes, and dispatchers calling out Molina’s name one final time over theradio,a silence often fell over the multitude of people who arrived. A lot of words were said, but according to Chief GregAllen,none could sooth the wounds caused by Molina’s passing.

“It’s indescribable,” said Allen. “I’ve seen this too often in mycareer.It’s wearing onme,to be quite frank. You don’t think so, but it gets to you. These people become your family.”

Molina died earlier this month after his injuries suffered during a fight did not improve. According to a police affidavit, Molina got into a fight with a teenager after he witnessed three young men key his vehicle. During thefight,Molina fell and cracked his skull, leaving him with a few final days with his family before he passed away.

Allen, who has seemed quite hurt by the loss of one of his officers, said it doesn’t get any easier.

Molina’s fellow officers say this past month hasn’t been easy. Officer Omar Rivera worked with Molina in the Central El Paso area. While the two men didn’t work the same shifts, they crossed paths in the field and in the office. Rivera told ABC-7 Molina is sorely missed.

According to Rivera, Molina waswell-liked.Asked what he most often talked about, he smiled and said, “The Marines,oh,it was always the Marines.”

Molina was a four-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department. The man accused of attacking him is now behindbars,charged with capital murder.