Crime & Safety
Christie to Attend Slain Jersey City Police Officer's Funeral
Funeral Mass for Melvin Santiago is set for 11 a.m. Friday at St. Aloysius Church.
Gov. Chris Christie will be among those who attend the funeral Friday for slain Jersey City Police Officer Melvin Santiago.
A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. at St. Aloysius Church at 691 West Side Ave. in Jersey City.
More than 1,000 law enforcement officers, elected officials, community members, family and friends paid their final respects to Santiago during visitation hours Thursday at McLaughlin Funeral Home, according to NJ.com.
Jersey City police officers will march from the funeral home south on Kennedy Boulevard through Lincoln Park to the church Friday morning while other law enforcement agencies will line the procession route.
Santiago, 23, was killed early Sunday morning when he responded to a Jersey City Walgreens where Lawrence Campbell, 27, armed with a knife, took a security guard's gun and told witnesses to "watch the news later. I'm going to be famous."
Campbell killed Santiago when the officer arrived before he was fatally wounded by police.
A memorial placed in front of Campbell's Jersey City home has been taken down after it sparked outrage in the community.
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