Thousands of police officers, loved ones and dignitaries packed a large venue in north Toronto for Const. Andrew Hong’s funeral comes just over a week after the 48-year-old officer was shot at a Mississauga, Ont., coffee shop. “Everyone who knew him loved him. This was always Andrew,” Jenny Hong, Andrew Hong’s widow, told mourners in a eulogy delivered at the Toronto Convention Centre.
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Officers from police forces across Canada and the U.S. gathered to pay their respects to the officer, who had been with Toronto police for 22 years and was part of the agency’s specialized motorcycle unit. Story continues below ad Some officers hugged each other and wiped away tears during a photo slideshow of Hong’s wedding, family vacations and time on the job smiling with his fellow officers. Jenny Hong and her daughter Mia shared memories of their loved one as a man of many interests whose greatest loves were his family and his career. Mia recalled her father teaching her to drive and shared photos of the events he was working as a police officer and said his colleagues in the force were as close-knit as his family. “We have lost a hero,” he told the crowd. “Mourn with us.” Colleagues were overcome with emotion at times as they remembered Andrew Hong as a bright, infectious personality who brought humor and generosity to his work and acted as a mentor to many officers training in his role at the Toronto Police Service’s motorcycle unit. Story continues below ad Traffic Services Delegated Min. Matthew Moyerknew Hong of 12 years said his friend and colleague had “flourished in his role” in traffic services, a “dream job” for Hong since he first joined the force. “(Hong’s) infectious sense of humor brightened the lives of all who knew him,” she said. Hong “went from strength to strength” in traffic services, said Moyer, who appeared to fight back tears as he described Hong’s love for his family and recalled Hong’s recent jokes at work. Trending Stories
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Elected officials from all levels of government were identified among the mourners. Some who did not know Hong personally gave brief remarks to the crowd that emphasized the officer’s love for his police work and for his family. Premier Doug Ford highlighted Hong’s time spent training “the next generation of officers” and pointed to the size of the crowd of mourners as a sign of his influence on others. Story continues below ad “I would ask everyone to look around at the number of people who respect this great man and try to find some comfort in seeing the impact he had and the legacy he left behind,” the prime minister said. Toronto Mayor John Tory recalled meeting Hong by chance while on duty. “His warmth and his presence quickly told me who he was: a good man and a good police officer,” Torrey told the crowd. The funeral for Hong began with bagpipers carrying his casket, which was draped in a Canadian flag, before a Toronto police officer sang the national anthem for the crowd gathered at the Toronto Convention Centre. Photos of Hong on his motorcycle lit up screens, with wreaths underneath. Hong was shot and killed last week while on break at a Tim Hortons in Mississauga, in what police are calling an ambush attack. Another person was injured in the Mississauga shooting, and police say the same suspect then shot three people at an auto body shop in Milton, Ont., killing two and injuring one, before being shot and killed by police in Hamilton. Story continues below ad
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At his funeral, Interim Toronto Police Chief James Ramer paid tribute to the other victims of the killing spree, the first responders and the motorcycle officers who “refused to leave (Hong’s) side” and “the tenacity of investigators to find the truth.” The service began as a procession carrying Hong’s casket made its way through the city, with motorcycle officers escorting a hearse through Toronto’s quiet streets. 4:20 Andrew Hong funeral: Toronto Mayor John Tory pays tribute to police officer killed in ‘horse’ shooting Uniformed officers from several forces, including about 3,000 members from police services outside Toronto, lined the procession route to pay their respects. Police motorcycles, with representation from units in Halifax and Michigan, filled the parking lot to greet the procession. Story continues below ad Hong began his policing career in 2000, moved to traffic services two years later and later began working in the Motor Squad in 2008, Toronto Police Services said. © 2022 The Canadian Press
