Slain Toronto police officer remembered for his 'unshakeable commitment' to city at funeral
Friends, family, and thousands of colleagues remembered a Toronto police officer killed in the line of duty as a “selfless and kind neighbour” at a funeral service today.
Const. Jeffrey Northrup was killed earlier this month while responding to an emergency call in downtown Toronto.
“I am so lost without you,” Northrup’s wife Margaret said in a tear-filled eulogy Monday. “However, I will remain strong with you still in my heart and by my side.”
The funeral at BMO Field at Exhibition place was attended by police forces from across the country, as well as representatives from all levels of government.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford delivered an emotional address at the invite-only ceremony and said that Northrup had paid the “ultimate sacrifice” while responding to the call of duty.
“He did so as a hero. He put his life on the line, in order to serve and protect his community, and this is a debt that we’ll never be able to repay,” Ford said.
Mayor John Tory echoed those remarks while acknowledging Northrup’s children, who he said will be able to look back on their father’s time as a police officer with “immense pride.”
Northrup's body was accompanied by thousands of Toronto police officers in full dress from the funeral home in Thornhill prior to the service Monday morning.
His casket was seen draped in the Canadian flag as it laid in BMO Field. Northrup’s partner, Detective Constable Lisa Forbes, was seen carrying his hat as she led pallbearers to the site of the ceremony.
A 31-year veteran of the force, Northrup first worked as a court officer before becoming an officer with Toronto police in 1999.
He was struck by the driver of a vehicle shortly after midnight on July 2 in the parking garage below City Hall, near Queen and Bay streets, while responding to a robbery call with his partner.
Speaking at the scene following the incident, Toronto Police Chief James Ramer said Northrup was struck by the driver of a vehicle in an "intentional and deliberate" act. He was rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Forbes was also transported to hospital following the incident. She was treated and released, police said.
A man has since been charged with first-degree murder.
Ramer attended the funeral today and spoke to Northrup’s dedication to both the service and his family.
“Jeff was a genuinely lovely and caring man who was fair and friendly to everyone he encountered as a police officer,” Ramer said. “When he was off duty, he was a selfless and kind neighbour, a mentor, and a coach, beloved by everyone. Most importantly, he was a dedicated family man to his wife and three children, who he adored, who were his life.”
“When our confidence waivers, we must think about Jeff, about his unshakeable commitment to the city and his family.”
Northrup will be buried at a private ceremony attended by close friends and family. He was 55 years old.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.