Thousands gather to honor fallen Douglas County deputy

Thousands gathered Friday for fallen Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputy Zackari Parrish’s funeral.

Parrish was shot and killed Sunday morning. while responding to a disturbance call.

CDOT estimated at least 2,000 vehicles participated in a procession from I-25 and Plum Creek Parkway to Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch.

MORE: Emergency vehicles line I-25 for motorcade procession honoring Deputy Zackari Parrish

At the funeral, thousands of law enforcement officers and community members gathered to pay tribute to Parrish.

His wife, father, best friend, as well as Chief Jack Cauley with the Castle Rock Police Department, and Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock spoke about him.

They spoke about how Parrish was courageous, a devoted father and husband, a man of faith, with a great sense of humor.

PHOTOS: Procession for fallen Deputy in Douglas County

“Constantly talking about Gracie and the girls, how much he loved them,” Trooper Troy Kessler, Parrish’s best friend, said. “Zack was always a man I admired and looked up to.”

His robust sense of humor was part of his job as well, Cauley recalled a time he pulled a driver over who told Parrish he had a concealed carry weapon.

“Classic Zach, he doesn’t skip a beat and says ‘OK, I’ll tell you what. You don’t move yours and I won’t move mine. We got a deal?’ And he sold him on that,” Cauley said.

Parrish devoted his life to save others, even trying to save the man that killed him Sunday. Spurlock mentioned what he saw on Parrish’s body camera during the incident.

“He was pleading with the man. Begging him. ‘Let me talk to you, let me help you,'” Spurlock said.

Spurlock said Parrish will be awarded the Medal of Valor and has a permanent, reserved operator spot on the Douglas County SWAT team.

Beyond the extensive procession, Parrish was honored with a 21 Bell salute, in place of a 21 Gun Salute, and dispatch honored him with an end of watch call out over the radio.