Thousands mourn slain Washington State Trooper
Feb 29, 2012, 2:59 PM | Updated: Mar 1, 2012, 5:29 pm
A week after his death, more than a thousand came to celebrate the life of a slain Washington State Patrol trooper Thursday in Kent.
Trooper Tony Radulescu was shot to death during a traffic stop near Gorst, Wash., on Thursday, Feb. 23.
Washington State Patrol Chief John Batiste was among those who spoke during the public memorial at the ShoWare Center. As he spoke about the fallen trooper, Batiste addressed Radulsecu’s father, who was in the front row.
“I am sorry I lost your son,” Batiste said. “It pains me dearly, but you must know, we shall never, never forget him.”
Batiste also spoke directly to Radulescu’s son, Erick. The 22-year-old Army medic had expressed interest in joining the state patrol in his father’s honor.
“You surprised me, when you said you want to be a state trooper. My heart bubbled,” Batiste said to Erick, as he put his hand over his heart. ‘”And I want to be the one who welcomes you, if you should decide later on to be a member of this great organization.”
Batiste called it a “standing invitation,” and told Radulsecu’s son he could wear his father’s badge number, 557, should he chose to become a trooper.
As Erick addressed the crowd himself, he recognized the tremendous outpouring of support.
“Even though I have lost one very close family member – it looks like I’ve found thousands more,” he said.
The State Patrol’s Bob Calkins said businesses and community organizations chipped in to make the memorial special.
“We’ve had just an awesome outpouring of support in many, many, many different ways,” Calkins said. “A local car dealership wrote us a check so we could have food to feed people. Boeing has come through with parking. Churches have come through with remote viewing sites. And every police and fire agency around has called and offered us resources to help put this memorial on.”
Earlier in the day, hundreds of patrol cars led a procession from Silverdale to Kent. At the head of the procession was a white hearse carrying Radulescu’s casket.
Radulescu, 44, was a 16-year veteran of the state patrol. He was born in Romania, and joined the Army after moving to New Jersey with his father. Radulescu served in the Gulf War before joining the Washington State Patrol.
