BOULDER, Colo. (KDVR) — Shay Talley said his son, Boulder Police Officer Eric Talley, was everything a father could hope for: a man of integrity, a man of faith and a hero for his actions responding to the grocery store mass shooting that led to his death.
“The pain went away – initial pain – but there’s always going to be a dull pain in my heart,” Talley told NewsNation affiliate KDVR in a Sunday interview. “My life is changed.”
A traditional Catholic requiem Mass was held Monday for the fallen Boulder Officer. More than 800 vehicles from law enforcement agencies all around the country lined the streets around the cathedral.
He will be laid to rest Tuesday at 11 a.m. MT at the Flatirons Community Church in Lafayette. The Colorado Fallen Hero Foundation has taken the lead on planning the service – working closely with the Boulder Police Department and Talley’s family.
Talley’s service will feature several unique features aimed at balancing tradition and symbolism with the sacrifice he made while celebrating the life he lived.
Talley said he learned his son ran all the way to the back of the King Soopers store when he responded to the scene, where he ultimately suffered a fatal wound at the hands of the shooter.
Talley said this information doesn’t surprise him at all. He recalled conversations with his son about his job as a police officer.
“He said, “I’m trained not to – I’m trained to wait for backup. I’m trained not to go in until someone comes,’” Talley recalled. “And he said, “Pop, I don’t think – I don’t think I can do that. I don’t think I can stand around and wait for someone else to get there when people need help.”
Talley said he knew his son’s job was dangerous and often thankless, but he’s comforted seeing the support for him and his brothers and sisters in blue.
“I think people are hungry to show respect for law enforcement. I think they’ve been disrespected so much this last year that people want to come out and say, ‘No, that’s not right,’” Talley said.
Talley said that more than anything, he wants Eric and other officers to be remembered for their heroic actions on that tragic afternoon.
“If he’s known for anything, it’s for doing the right thing,” Talley said. “Because that’s what he did by running in there. He did the right thing. And I hope he can inspire other officers, other people, other politicians, whoever – inspire them to do the right thing.”
Talley said his son would call him on the phone often to ask for advice, and that’s one of the things he’ll miss the most.