FRANCONIA, N.H. (AP) – Flags flew at half staff, impromptu floral tributes sprouted and a small town geared up Monday for a big funeral after a roadside traffic stop ended with a police officer dead and his killer shot to death by a passer-by.
Up to 6,000 law enforcement officers from around the country are expected to attend the service Thursday for Cpl. Bruce McKay, 48, a veteran patrolman killed Friday after stopping Liko Kenney, 24, for speeding.
McKay’s funeral will be held Thursday at Cannon Mountain, the ski area where McKay had planned to get married at the summit in July.
“It will be a traditional police ceremony with full honors, which he greatly deserved,” said Police Chief Mark Montminy.
Kenney allegedly shot McKay four times and ran him over before a motorist who watched it all grabbed McKay’s gun and shot Kenney.
Authorities said the second shooting was justified under state law.
The killing has driven a wedge through this small northern New Hampshire town, with some calling Kenney a victim of a rogue cop with a vendetta while others defended McKay.
“It was a horror show, no question about it,” said Lee Condon, 32, of Franconia, who knew Kenney and said he was stunned by what happened.
Montminy wouldn’t comment on the Kenney-McKay confrontation or the pair’s history, which Kenney family members said included a 2003 incident in which Kenney’s jaw was broken.
Kenney pleaded guilty to assaulting McKay.
Family members – including Kenney’s uncle, Bill Kenney – say Kenney bought a weapon to defend himself against McKay.
Montminy said McKay acted professionally.
“We don’t harass people. He did his job, he did it well, everybody was treated the same. He was very knowledgeable and very professional, a dedicated police officer,” he said.
Calling hours were scheduled for Wednesday.
A photograph of McKay was at the doorway of the police station, along with information about making donations in his name. Floral bouquets decorated a police SUV and a 1935 fire engine in front, both draped with black bunting.
Donations were being handled by the North Country Public Safety Officers’ Benevolent Foundation, which was founded last year after the police chief in neighboring Sugar Hill, Jose Pequeno, was seriously wounded while on military duty in Iraq.
Townspeople also set up a separate Bruce McKay Family Fund.
The foundation, created to benefit police and other emergency, conservation and rescue personnel in northern New Hampshire, was first tapped to build a home for Pequeno and his family last year.
McKay’s funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at Cannon Mountain, followed by a private burial. Calling hours are scheduled for Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at Town Hall.
A procession of uniformed officers is scheduled to start at 6 p.m.
Services for Kenney – whose parents winter in Hawaii and were said to be en route home Monday – were incomplete. Among those expected at Kenney’s funeral was Olympic skier Bode Miller, a cousin of Kenney’s.
At a mailbox near his house, flowers, a T-shirt, a Long Trail beer tap and notes of remembrances made up a tribute to him. “Rest in peace,” read one card. “We love you! We miss you!”
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