Fallen Police Officers Remembered At North Shore Memorial

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Dozens of police officers honored their fallen brothers at a memorial on the North Shore Saturday.

There was a special tribute to Shenango Township Police officer Jerry McCarthy.

He is the first officer in Pennsylvania who was killed in the line of duty this year.

They gathered at the Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial to honor fallen heroes.

The men and women who walk the thin blue line everyday protecting and serving communities throughout Allegheny County.

Law enforcement memorial President, Cmdr. Donna Best paid tribute to McCarthy who was killed in the line of duty on Thursday.

"When a police officer is killed, it's not an agency that loses an officer it's an entire nation," Best said. "Can we have a moment of silence for Officer McCarthy."

Officer McCarthy's family is getting support and advice from others whose loved ones were killed in the line of duty.

Paul and Julia Sciullo lost their son, officer Paul Sciullo Jr. in April of 2009.

"All the support they'll get from the police the brotherhood is wonderful and they need prayers and community and faith and that will help them get through this," Julia Sciullo said. "They'll be in our thoughts and prayers yeah we'll be praying for them God bless them."

Linda and Jim Crawshaw's son Michael, a Penn Hills Police officer was killed in December 2009.

"It's almost four years for us and the pain is still there every day, but just know that everyone is thinking about them and praying for them," Linda Crawshaw said.

"We're going to have to sit here and support a family again and we're going to have to attend the funeral of our brother," said Clairton Police Officer James Kuzak.

Kuzak was the keynote speaker at the memorial. Kuzak's spine was damaged by a bullet after he was shot five times during a home invasion in April of 2011.

"I don't want it to be so somber that we forget that those of us in uniform here today we love what we do we love the communities we work for and we love the families that we work for to support," he said.

A flower was laid at the foot of the memorial in honor of Allegheny County Police officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. The service ended with prayers for the safety of all police officers working during the marathon on Sunday.

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