TACOMA, Wash. - Thousands of law officers and members of the public are expected to attend Tuesday's memorial service in the Tacoma Dome for Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Kent Mundell.
The service for begins at 1 p.m. and is expected to last 3 hours. The public is invited to attend the memorial and line the procession route, scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Mundell was fatally shot Dec. 21 while responding to a domestic violence call near Eatonville. Mundell managed to fire back on the suspect, killing him, before Mundell collapsed. Deputy Mundell is the sixth Western Washington law enforcement officer to die violently in two months.
Tuesday's procession will begin at 10 a.m. at the Puyallup Fair and Events Center, 110 9th Avenue SW. The route will start north on S. Meridian, veer right to Third Street SE then Second Street NE. It will then turn west onto River Road, continuing through on Bay Street where it will head west on Puyallup Avenue and proceed north on C Street to the Tacoma Dome.
You can watch live coverage of the service and the procession on KING 5 New and KING5.com.
Parking will be limited at the Tacoma Dome. The public is encouraged to use alternative parking areas.
Gov. Gregoire has ordered flags at all state agencies to be flown at half-staff until after the service.
Several funds have been set up for Mundell's wife and two children. You can contribute at:
•Any branch of Columbia Bank.
•Any branch of Tapco Credit Union, or on their Web site
•The Pierce County Deputy Sheriffs Guild Web site
The sheriff's department tells The News Tribune it has already gotten complaints from citizens about bogus companies calling them trying to solicit donations for the Mundell family. Sheriff's office spokesman Det. Ed Troyer says the department does not support those companies and that you should not give any money over the phone.
Cards to the family or Police Department may be sent to Family of Deputy Kent Mundell or Pierce County Sheriff's Department, Mountain Detachment, P.O. Box 1489, Eatonville, WA 98328.
Tacoma funeral home honors deputy, helps his family
A funeral home in Tacoma is playing a large part in honoring the deputy and helping his family.
A funeral home under any circumstances is a somber place. And now, American flags cast a somewhat different shadow on Mountain View Funeral Home and Memorial Park.
There is patriotism on display there for fallen officers. Deputy Kent Mundell's name has been added to a small display in the lobby at Mountain View.
"We do help a large number of families in Pierce County and every family that's come in has paid tribute to the officers there, has signed the book, and probably felt some comfort, I hope, by having that there," said Ron Messenger, Mountain View Funeral Home.
Anytime families need services, the Mountain View staff accords all the dignity, honor and respect that can be expected, but there is something slightly different about helping the law enforcement family.
"Every family needs our services to the best of our ability. We just understand that with law enforcement or in the line of duty, it takes higher commitment from us," said Messenger.
The staff provides that higher commitment in the form of working longer hours, longer work weeks, coordinating with the sheriff's department, on the logistical side, for the smooth functioning of all the upcoming tribute and memorial work.
The small memorial in their lobby will stay up for awhile. Kent Mundell's name was the last - and hopefully will be the last - name added.
"Of course you don't want to, but we had to. I don't want to add another one," said Messenger.
Mountain View is donating all its services and products for Deputy Mundell's memorial tomorrow. It donated its services as well for the private memorial the family help last night.
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