Sep 25, 2008 5:59 am US/Eastern
Family, Girlfriend Remember Fallen Officer
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
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Officer Patrick McDonald
CBS
The girlfriend of fallen Philadelphia Police Officer Patrick McDonald spoke for the first time since the young officer was gunned down on Tuesday.
Officer McDonald, 30, was fatally shot during an altercation with a suspect in North Philadelphia Tuesday afternoon. The gunman, who wounded a second officer, was killed by police.
"He was a very, very courageous person, he was a warrior as his dad says, and he's a soldier, that's what he always said, he was a soldier," Joanne Heary said.
Heary is an officer in the city's 15th District and dated McDonald for nearly four years. Heary said McDonald loved the Eagles and enjoyed playing football.
Heary said McDonald's true passion was being part of the elite Philadelphia Highway Patrol.
"Pat was about the Philadelphia Police Department, he was about highway, he loved highway, he was highway, that's what he was, that's what he lived for everyday," Heary said.
Heary, along with Officer McDonald's father, visited the murder scene on Wednesday afternoon. His father fell to ground, overcome with emotion.
"He'll always be with us and his friends and his family, forever in our hearts," Heary said.
Officer McDonald was an 8-year veteran of the police department.
Officer McDonald's viewing for family and friends will be held September 29 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Givnish Funeral Home in Northeast Philadelphia. A public viewing will immediately follow at 6 p.m.
On September 30, there will be a viewing from 7:30 a.m. to Noon at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul. A funeral mass will begin at Noon with burial immediately following at Resurrection Cemetery in Bensalem.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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