MILWAUKEE — There were heavy hearts and tears as friends arrived to District 4 to pay their respects.
The memorial grew as the public showed up to lay flowers at a flag-draped squad in honor of fallen Milwaukee police Officer Peter Jerving.
A tearful Kate Davidson from Oak Creek paid tribute to a friend she's known for the last eight years. Davidson shares, "He was the biggest pain but the kindest soul. He was such a caring person. Kind to everybody. He always wanted the best for people."
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Karen Kitsch is devastated. She shares what motivated her friend to become an officer.
"When he was a kid, he had his bike stolen by somebody. A cop either found the bike or bought him a new one to replace it. So, he thought that was a really cool thing."
Many who paid their respects at District 4 admitted they do not have the answers, but they know something must be done.
Kitsch tearfully exclaimed, "Something needs to change. It's not fair. I didn't want to get that call at 7:30 in the morning that my friend died. It's just not fair!"
And as friends, colleagues and strangers consoled each other, friends said they are thankful they got to know Officer Jerving, who said left this world far too soon.
"He was human, he made mistakes, but at the end of the day, he loved everybody. He had such a big heart and he loved fully," recalls Davidson.
A love that weighs heavy on the hearts at District 4 and the Milwaukee-area community.
