BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) – The life and service of Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Joseph Bullock will be honored on Thursday.
Trooper Bullock was shot and killed last week on I-95 in Martin County. FHP officials say Bullock was helping a disabled vehicle when the driver got out and shot him. A Riviera Beach police officer then shot and killed the suspect.
Bullock was a 19-year veteran of the Florida Highway Patrol who served in the Air Force. He is survived by his parents and two sisters.
A procession for the fallen trooper took place last week and stretched from Florida’s east coast all the way to Sarasota.
Another procession will take place Thursday morning ahead of a memorial service and funeral in Bradenton. The Florida Highway Patrol is inviting the public to stand along the procession route to show support for Trooper Bullock and his family.
“The Florida Highway Patrol welcomes anyone wanting to support the family of fallen Trooper Joseph Bullock along the procession route. We ask members of the public standing on the sidewalk or shoulder area not to obstruct travel lanes and exercise an abundance of caution during the procession,” the FHP said in a statement.
The procession will escort Trooper Bullock from the Robert Toale & Sons Funeral Home in Bradenton around 8:45 a.m. The procession will go left on 53rd Avenue (State Road 70) and then left on Lorraine Road. It will then make a right on south access to the Bayside Community Church. The expected arrival time is at 9:30 a.m.
A memorial service for Trooper Bullock is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Bayside Community Church on the East Bradenton Campus. The service is open to the public.
After the service, a multi-agency law enforcement procession will escort Trooper Bullock to the Sarasota National Cemetery.
The procession begins around 1:15 p.m. It will leave the south exit of Bayside Community Church, go left on Lorraine Road South, right on University Parkway West and then left onto Interstate 75 South.
The procession will then exit on State Road 72 (Clark Road East) and turn left before going right on Veteran’s Boulevard South. The expected arrival time at Sarasota National Cemetery is 2 p.m.
Law enforcement honors will take place at the cemetery. The FHP says the ceremony will include the honor guard flag presentation, 21-gun salute, flyover and last call.
