In wake of deadly shooting, cruises and a candlelight vigil will honor ‘SLOPD heroes’
Multiple memorial events to honor the San Luis Obispo police detectives shot in the line of duty Monday will take place Friday evening, culminating in a candlelight prayer vigil in Mission Plaza.
The activities, coordinated by a collection of community groups to honor “SLOPD heroes,” will by tribute to the memory of Det. Luca Benedetti, who was shot and killed Monday when he and five other officers served a search warrant at an apartment on Camellia Court.
Another SLO police officer, Det. Steve Orozco, was injured in the shooting but is expected to make a full recovery. Orozco is recovering at home, according to city spokesperson Christine Wallace.
Two separate cruises starting from SLO and Paso Robles will take place between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m., according to a Facebook post on the site “You grew up in SLO if you remember. ...”
Those starting out in SLO may join the Central Coast Cruisers by meeting at the Madonna Inn parking lot at 6:15 p.m. Participants will first drive by the city’s Police Department and then cruise downtown.
A Protect Paso caravan will start its cruise in Paso Robles in the Riverside Avenue area near Earth & Fire Brewery, leaving at “6 p.m. sharp” and driving to SLO.
For those who aren’t cruising, the Protect SLO group will gather at 6:30 p.m. at the corner of Higuera and Osos streets downtown, where participants are asked to bring blue line flags or American flags and line the sidewalks on Higuera to show support for the officers.
“We just ask that you stay out of the street and line the sidewalks without blocking the pedestrian walkway,” event coordinators noted.
A candlelight vigil will be held at 7:30 p.m. at Mission Plaza. Candles will be provided, and various speakers will lead the group in prayer for the SLO police officers and their families.
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