A solemn procession of police and first responder vehicles from across Chester County escorted Pennsylvania State Police Corporal Timothy O'Connor to a West Chester funeral home as the community gathered to honor the trooper killed in the line of duty.
Flashing lights lined the route as O'Connor, draped in an American flag, was carried into DellaVecchia Funeral Home. Fellow troopers stood at attention and saluted as he was brought inside.
There was a solemn procession today in Chester County as family and colleagues
honored a fallen Pennsylvania State Trooper.
Corporal Timothy O'Connor Jr. was fatally shot during a traffic stop in West Town
Township over the weekend. Today his body was moved from Chester
County Hospital to a funeral home in Westchester.
Action News reporter Becca Henderson live for us now at State Police Barracks.
Troop J in West Bradford Township with more on the
Sorry it has been such a somber few days here in Chester County. We've been
learning more about Corporal O'Connor and all the lives he touched. You can see
it in action behind me. This was his vehicle. You can see so many
flowers and I'm seeing even a couple drinks being laid. There are
people coming wanting to pay their respects after his
tragic death. Flashing lights to the top police and
first responder vehicles from throughout Chester County.
They're leading Corporal Timothy O'Connor on a procession.
Draped in an American flag he's carried into Delavecchia Funeral Home as his
brothers in blue saluted. The State Trooper killed in the line of
duty Sunday night touched so many lives. Once you got to know him you can see how
much of a great person he was and always talked great highly of his
family and his daughter and his wife. His barber and her daughter came to his
Pennsylvania State Police Station in West Bradford to pay their respects.
You have athletes and these actors that are getting paid all this money and
you have people that risk their lives out there every single day
you know and and just like Tim you know he he's a hero.
He responded around 8 p.m Sunday to a call about an erratic driver.
Police say he stopped the vehicle at Route 10 and Michael Road in West
Collin Township and within seconds of approaching the
vehicle the driver the police identified as 32 year old
Jesse Elks opened fire killing O'Connor. Members of his family
gathered around his vehicle covered in flowers
still in disbelief. As are Erica Armstrong and her father David Lee.
They say last March David was having a heart attack. He pulled into State Police
just as O'Connor was starting his shift. So they threw me in the car and the way
we went and they made sure that they got me in
the room at the hospital and I never did get to shake the man's
They came back to the barracks to honor O'Connor and send a message
to his wife and daughter. And his little girl I just want to know that your daddy
saved my daddy and we thank you for that and
you'll forever be a part of our family. A life taken too soon and one worth
remembering the Chester County community of course
coming together as you would expect for the O'Connor family.
They started a meal train for his family. I just checked it.
They've raised more than $20,000 so far. Live here at State Police, Becca Hunter, 10
Channel 6 Action News. Sorry. Yeah, people wanting to pay tribute
however they can. Becca, thank you.
