Graveside services for fallen Springfield Police Officer Christopher Walsh will be closed to the public.
A police spokeswoman says the Saturday afternoon public service was closed after someone who claimed to have the coronavirus threatened to come and infect officers.
During the procession, Officer Walsh’s body will be moved to Rivermonte Memorial Gardens (4500 S. Lone Pine Ave.) for burial with full honors. Other law enforcement agencies are expected to participate.
You can watch the procession on Battlefield Rd. from Kansas Expressway to Lone Pine. The procession is expected to begin around 2:30 p.m.
The burial will take place at Rivermonte Memorial Gardens’ Veterans II lot and will be live-streamed on the Springfield Police Department Facebook Page.
The burial ceremony will not be open to the general public in the interest of public health and safety.,
All members of the public will be turned away at the cemetery.
The governor has ordered all flags at government buildings be flown at half staff Saturday in Walsh’s honor.
Walsh died in a shootout Sunday night at the Kum & Go convenience store on East Chestnut.
In light of recent threats & in the interest of public health and safety, the burial ceremony for fallen SPD Officer Christopher Walsh will no longer be open to the general public. All members of the public will be turned away at the cemetery. More: https://t.co/Y9VxxuZYYQ
— Springfield PD (@SGFPolice) March 20, 2020
Today, I ordered U.S. and Missouri flags be flown at half-staff at government buildings in Greene County on Saturday, March 21, 2020 in honor of @SGFPolice Officer Christopher R. Walsh. pic.twitter.com/aWAVR1aHbx
— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) March 20, 2020