Hundreds of people attended a public visitation at a funeral home on Monday to pay their respects to a Toronto-area police officer who was killed in the line of duty last week.

The visitation was held for York Regional Police Const. Garrett Styles at the Jerrett Funeral Home at 8088 Yonge Street in Thornhill.

Visitation hours were between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., ahead of a massive funeral planned for Styles on Tuesday.

An hour before the lineup began, Styles' family watched as two police officers placed a flag, hat and gloves over the casket, in a ritual reserved for those who fall in the line of duty.

Like many visitors, one man said he felt devastated.

"I don't know how else to put it," he said.

Insp. Shelley Rogers said the showing of support for Styles has touched his family and the police community.

"It musters an unspeakable pride for us. You don't want to ever see a loss of a member, but when we have this happen, it's a constant reminder to us of why we do this business," she said.

The loss of another officer was difficult for retired Const. Joe Solski, who worked with Const. Styles' father.

"I've been going to so many funerals for police officers. Sometimes you just can't take it anymore," he said.

As many as 6,000 officers from across Canada and the U.S. are expected to gather in Newmarket, Ont., on Tuesday for the 32-year-old officer's funeral.

Const. Styles' casket will leave for Newmarket at about 10: 45 a.m, accompanied by six pallbearers who are all police officers from different regions.

While organizers say the public is welcome, they caution that the large cadre of police officials expected to attend will make seating inside the complex scarce.

A police procession will be held prior to the funeral along Yonge Street, south from Davis Drive to Eagle Street in Newmarket.

Styles was killed early on the morning of June 28 after being struck and pinned underneath a minivan during a traffic stop outside Newmarket.

The young officer left behind his wife, Melissa, and two young children, two-year-old Meredith and 10-week-old Nolan.

A 15-year-old boy has been charged with first-degree murder in the officer's death. He is due in court on Thursday.

The suspect cannot be named under provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

With files from The Canadian Press and CTV Toronto's Tamara Cherry.