FLOYD COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Members of law enforcement from across the commonwealth gathered at a funeral Tuesday to say goodbye to Deputy William Petry, who died in last week's shootout in Floyd County.
Deputy Petry was killed in the line of duty last Thursday with two other officers when, police say, Lance Storz ambushed them all while allegedly holding a woman against her will. Several more officers were injured and a sheriff's K-9 was also killed during the incident. The shootout is being described as the single deadliest event for Kentucky law enforcement in almost a century.
At Petry's funeral, a video tribute played as roughly 1,000 people made their way into the Mountain Arts Center to pay respects to the sheriff's deputy.
Petry and his sheriff broke into law enforcement together as police officers 33 years ago.
"Obviously, we worked together as sheriff's deputies, but I never dreamed, one that I'd call him gone," said Floyd County Sheriff John Hunt. "But knew whenever he left, I'd call him a hero. And William Petry is a hero."
The sheriff also said of his friend of 33 years that he never really cared about his job title. The only title William Petry cared about, he said, was a "public servant."
"He loved the people," said Sheriff Hunt. "He loved the people he served, loved the people he worked with, and he was a dream to have work for you."
Funeral services for Prestonsburg Police Captain Ralph Frasure will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 6 at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg. Interment will follow at Gethsemane Gardens in Prestonsburg.
Funeral services for Prestonsburg Police Officer Jacob Chaffins will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 7 at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg. Interment will follow at Gethsemane Gardens in Prestonsburg.
