ARDEN HILLS, Minn. - A funeral service was held on Thursday to honor the life of a Stillwater state prison corrections officer who was killed by an inmate earlier this month.
Joseph Gomm worked for the Minnesota Department of Corrections for more than 15 years. Thousands attended his funeral on Thursday, including many members of law enforcement agencies from across the region and across the country.
The funeral service took place in Arden Hills before a nine-mile procession to Roseville, where members of the public lined the streets to pay their respects.
Inside the church during the service, friends and co-workers remembered Gomm for his sense of humor, love of animals and kind heart.
Tom Chronakos worked alongside Gomm since 2002 and described him as one of his dearest friends.
"He was loved and respected by so many," he told the audience at the church during the funeral service. "I can't begin to express how much I miss him."
Gomm's family released a statement regarding the incident last week, thanking friends, family and the department for their support.