Family, friends and loved ones gathered Tuesday morning to honor the life of fallen Terrell police officer Jacob Candanoza.
Candanoza's public memorial was held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Lakepoint Church in Rockwall before a private burial with family members. More than 2,000 people were in attendance according to a pastor at the funeral service.
Candanoza was shot and killed during a traffic stop late Sunday night, Dec. 8. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the suspect fired several shots at Candanoza from a close distance before driving away in his pickup truck. Terrell police said Candanoza was able to report the man's license plate information and he was taken into custody hours later.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
During an emotional tribute Tuesday, Terrell Police Chief Arley Sansom recalled the moment he was told about the shooting.
"I got the call that every police chief tries to avoid," Sansom said. "'We have an officer down and it's not looking good.' I screamed into the night fearing the worst. As I responded, I prayed to save his life, protect his family, and our family. Tragic, mortifying, and life-changing. As we learned the horrible news, I saw the faces, the tears, the reactions, the pain, the fear. Where do you put this? How do you deal with this? How do you separate yourself from all of these emotions?"
Candanoza's father David Candanoza also shared special memories of his son including one during basic training as a Marine.
“He had won some kind of award,” David said. “His reward was an orange. That was like gold. And if you know about basic training, you get something like that it’s like, hell yeah. So, he was peeling it and a buddy comes over and says, ‘Hey, can I have a slice?’ Okay. He gives them a slice. And then another one. And another one (asked). And the drill instructor is right there watching all this going on. And eventually, Jacob gave the whole orange away. He didn't save anything for him. That's the way he was just helping others.”
David shared that Jacob had a very close bond with his younger brother Hawk Candanoza who was present Tuesday.
“Jacob dedicated his life to make the world a safer place,” Hawk said. "You gave me undivided love and attention. You are my big brother but more than that, you're my role model, confidant, and my best friend."
The officer's father took a moment to thank all law enforcement for their support as well as the community for their prayers.
"Thank you, guys. Thank you all for coming out," David said. "I just want to say, boy, I see you. I miss you so much, boy. You have no idea how much I miss you."
Since Jacob's death, several community vigils and events have been held to support the slain officer's family. Jacob is survived by his wife and 5-year-old daughter, his mother and father, six siblings, and his grandparents and many extended family members.
The city of Terrell's administrative offices and the animal control and adoption center are closed Tuesday so that staff can attend his memorial.
A benefit and silent auction supporting his family will be held Tuesday night from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. at Mariachi Mexican Bar & Grill in Terrell. A car show will be held Sunday, Dec. 22, between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Shops at Terrell, with all funds going to Candanoza's family.
