Philadelphia police lieutenant who died of coronavirus laid to rest Friday
Lt. James Walker passed away due to the coronavirus, Mayor Jim Kenney confirmed Monday.
NORTH PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia lieutenant who died of the coronavirus in April, becoming the city's first employee to have succumbed to the virus, was laid to rest Friday in North Philadelphia.
James Walker, known affectionately by those who knew him as Jimmy, died in April after battling the novel virus.
The 59-year-old was a 33 year veteran of the Philadelphia police, serving primarily in the department's traffic division.
MORE: Philadelphia Police Lt. James Walker dies from coronavirus
In a statement following his passing, Mayor Jim Kenney called Walker “a friend, a family member, a hero.”
“We should never forget the sacrifices of our officers and those on the front-lines battling this pandemic and working tirelessly to keep our great city safe," FOP President John McNesby said.
Funeral service will be held at Deliverance Evangelistic Church on West Lehigh Avenue and North 20th Street.
The church also recently held a funeral service for Eric Gore, a Philadelphia Firefighter who died in June from the coronavirus.
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