Friends and family are expected to attend a wake Thursday afternoon for an Auburn police officer killed in the line of duty.
Thousands of people attended a vigil Wednesday night to honor Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino. Those who attended the vigil and knew the officer remembered him as a dedicated police officer who was loved by everyone.
“You never think something like this is going to happen in a town like Auburn and I just felt it was very important for us as a group to show our support,” said one of the many bikers who rode their motorcycles to the vigil.
Tarentino, 42, was killed early Sunday morning during a traffic stop in Auburn. Suspect Jorge Zambrano drove off after the shooting, setting off an 18-hour manhunt and standoff. Zambrano was eventually found hiding in a closet in an Oxford apartment.
Police said Zambrano unleashed his pitbull on police officers before opening fire on them, allegedly with the same gun he used to kill Tarentino. Zambrano was killed in the shootout, which also left a state trooper injured.
Sources tell 7News the gun used to kill Tarentino over the weekend was stolen. Sources also said the gun’s previous owner was interviewed by police on Wednesday.
Tarentino, who was a police officer in Leicester for seven years before joining Auburn’s police force two years ago, grew up in Tewksbury and is the son of a retired Medford Police officer. He is survived by his wife and three sons.
A wake for Tarentino will be held on Thursday, May 26 from 2-7 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Church in Charlton. A funeral will be held on Friday, May 27 at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph’s Church and he will be laid to rest at Greenville Baptist Church Cemetery in the Rochdale section of Leicester.
To contribute to Officer Tarentino’s Memorial Fund:
Officer Ronald Tarentino Jr Memorial Fund
C/O Savers Bank
38 Auburn Street
Auburn, MA 01501
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