GLASSBORO, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Thousands of people said their final farewells to fallen Deptford Police Officer Robert Shisler, who died months after being shot in the line of duty.
The 27-year-old was honored during a viewing and funeral at Rowan University on Wednesday. Police from all over the country were in attendance — so many that a line snaked around the parking lots outside of the concert hall.
Shisler died on May 7, about two months after he was shot during a pedestrian stop on Delsea Drive. He was shot in the leg and had been in the hospital ever since. Authorities said he developed several infections and his leg had to be amputated. He ultimately succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at Penn in Philadelphia.
Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins helped organize Wednesday’s ceremony.
“This hit our community hard,” he said. “It hit the whole South Jersey region, the Philadelphia region. [Shisler] had been fighting for 58 days after getting wounded, and people just want to express their emotions, their appreciation for law enforcement.”
Civilians — from complete strangers to childhood friends — also came to pay their respects. Deptford Township resident Ryan Ferrigno grew up alongside the Shislers.
“It’s a lot, especially when it’s a friend that’s going through this, and you see this many people come out,” he said. “It just means a lot to the whole family, the community, everybody.”
Shisler’s police cruiser will stay within the family, according to the police department. It will be assigned to his younger brother, Tyler Shisler, who is a new member of the police force.
Deptford Police Detective Sgt. Robert Jones said Shisler’s death has been incredibly tough for the whole department. He added it’s important for younger officers to see this sort of response, to know that they won’t be forgotten if they too pay the ultimate sacrifice.
“The one thing that has been our strength has been our sense of togetherness. We lean on one another,” Jones said.