RICHMOND, Va. -- Law enforcement officers from across central Virginia are headed to New York City for the funeral of two fallen officers.
On Friday, Dec. 19, NYPD officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were shot and killed while on patrol in Brooklyn.
Investigators said they were specifically targeted and assassinated by a man who later committed suicide.
The Chesterfield Sheriff's office sent two deputies. State Police are sending a member of their honor guard. Henrico Police will send four officers.
JetBlue Airlines has pledged free flights to any officer attending the funerals. So far the airline arranged for about 670 law enforcement officers to travel for free to New York for Saturday's funeral for Ramos.
Some 25,000 police officers from around the country are expected to attend the funeral.
The "Tunnel-to-Towers" foundation decided to take over the mortgage payments for the surviving families after concern about the officers' families being able to stay in their homes.
“We're not just going to take over their payments, we want to pay their mortgages off in full so they don't have that burden or that worry because they have enough to go through,” said Frank Siller, CEO of the foundation.
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who serves as a chairman for the organization, is donating $20,000 towards the effort.
