Agreed. My heart goes out to this fine man's family and his girlfriend.
Posted on 09/04/2001 2:39:06 PM PDT by RGSpincich
Tuesday, September 4, 2001 Thousands mourn slain Los Angeles deputy
By Cadonna M. Peyton
Associated Press Writer
GLENDALE, Calif. (AP) A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy shot to death in a fierce gunbattle last week was eulogized as a hero Tuesday.
Thousands of law enforcement officers attended the funeral of Deputy Hagop "Jake" Kuredjian, 40, who was shot Friday after he responded on his motorcycle to help federal agents and sheriff's officials who came under fire while serving a search warrant.
"I am here to mourn the loss of my hero, my fallen hero," his brother Raffi told mourners at St. Mary's Armenian Apostolic Church before a procession to the burial site at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.
The funeral procession included the deputy's motorcycle towed on a trailer and a contingent from a law enforcement motorcycle club to which he belonged.
Photographs of the slain deputy, grinning as he posed on his motorcycle, lined the entrance to the church. Raffi Kuredjian challenged mourners to find a picture of his brother without a smile on his face.
"He achieved his dream in 1984 when he received the badge 4144," he said.
Gov. Gray Davis presented Kuredjian's family a state flag. "Jake was a soldier of decency, every morning putting a badge on his uniform and his life on the line. Every day he fought the good fight," Davis said in a eulogy.
"Jake Hagop Kuredjian was a good leader, a loving man who could be counted on by me and his fellow deputies to do his best," Sheriff Lee Baca said.
Kuredjian was struck in the head by a bullet as he crouched behind a car in a Santa Clarita neighborhood where a search warrant was being served on the home of James Allen Beck, a former police officer suspected of impersonating a federal marshal and stockpiling weapons. A native of Syria, Kuredjian lived in Michigan before becoming a U.S. citizen at age 21. He worked briefly as an insurance salesman and soccer referee before joining the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 1984.
Some have doubted that he actually responded on a motorcycle, he did. The bullet went through his helmet and ended up in his cheek.
Beck must have been an exellent shot to have hit him while he was crouched behind a car.
Stay well - yorktown
Slimeball Beck seems to think he shot him....
You do realize that you have to expose your head to see where to shoot? It's not like we was in an armored tank looking through a peephole.
Someone even claimed there is no such thing as a LA County Sheriff motorcyle unit.
Bump for this fine officer and his family.
Agreed. My heart goes out to this fine man's family and his girlfriend.
Deputy Hagop "Jake" Kuredjian, 40
As I understand it, this photo is about two weeks old.
Sorry you got mixed up in this mess partner,
you didn't deserve what happened to you.
Rest in Peace, Deputy Kuredjian.
You are in good hands now Jake. Rest in Peace.
The morale and hearts of his brother officers were destroyed by the "friendly fire" lie that ran thru the media and this forum. Disgusting. Typical, but disgusting.
The next door neighbor was just on the telephone with KFI 640 Los Angeles. This is the neighbor with a day and a half old baby. He stated he and his wife and baby curled up on the floor of their home while bullets were ripping through the home just 8 feet away.
The neighbor states his wife was totally hysterical. The neighbor stated further that Beck was never a threat to them or anyone else in the neighborhood. The Neighbor went on to say over 50 rounds hit his home!!!
Folks this thing was totally out of control.
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