PEARL, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
A prayer service was held in Pearl Thursday morning for 37-year-old Mike Walter, the Pearl police officer killed in the line of duty Tuesday. The prayer service had already been scheduled in advance to observe a National Day of Prayer but it was turned into a tribute to the fallen officer.
Pearl Mayor Brad Rogers was a speaker who told about the a 9-year-old girl who came to city hall about 10 PM, where there is a display honoring Mike Walter.
"I said sweetie what are you doing out this late at night? She said, I came down here to put something here because my daddy is Dave McCarley" said Mayor Rogers.
McCarley was the other officer involved in the shootout that took Walter's life. He's still hospitalized, but his injuries are non-life-threatening.
Funeral services for Mike Walter have been scheduled for 2 PM Saturday at Pine Lake Baptist Church, on Lakeland Drive in Flowood. His body will be transported, Friday, on what is called "Mike's Final Patrol."
"It will go from Wright and Ferguson funeral home on High Street, out to I-55 and down I-55 to I-20" said Lt. Butch Townsend of the Pearl Police Department. "It will take I-20 to Pearson Road, then go north to Old Brandon Road, east past the police department to Bierdamin Road, then north to Highway 80. Then through Pearl to Highway 471 in Brandon, and turn north, to Pine Lake Church."
"We will have a public viewing time, anybody that would like to come by, and pay their respects to Mike" added Townsend. "He will lie in state, at Pine Lake tomorrow from one to four.
Townsend says officer Dave McCarley, who was shot in the hand in the shootout, has a severely damaged finger.
"They will be able to graft bone off of his hip, and put back on his finger" said Townsend. "And put back in his finger and he may have to have some skin grafts and some physical rehabilitation."
People are still paying tribute to the officer Walter in front of the Pearl Municipal Complex. His unmarked car will lead 'Mike's Final Patrol' Friday.
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