Thousands of people gathered Wednesday to attend the funeral for fallen McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Keltner, who was tragically taken by senseless violence last week.
Keltner died after being shot in the line of duty on March 7 while serving a warrant on a fugitive at the Extended Stay America Hotel, 747 North Bell School Road in Rockford. He was working for the U.S. Marshal Service Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.
The suspect, Floyd E. Brown, 39, escaped from the scene but was later captured that day after a lengthy standoff near Lincoln, Illinois.
Keltner, who lived in Crystal Lake, was 35 years old and had almost 13 years of law enforcement service. He is survived by his wife Becki and his sons Caleb and Carson.
“All our lives, whether we like it or not, have a ripple effect on the lives around us,” McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim said at the funeral service Wednesday.
“Jake Keltner created, over his too short span of life, not just a ripple, but a mighty wave of goodness and light. It is, in fact, all we can hope to achieve in this world. He just did it quicker than most,” Prim added.
Hundreds of police vehicles lined the procession route from Woodstock North High School to DeFiore Jorgensen Funeral Home in Huntley Wednesday afternoon.
Donations for the Keltner family can be either mailed or dropped off at the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, 2200 North Seminary Avenue in Woodstock. Checks should be made out to Becki Keltner, the sheriff’s office said.
Becki Keltner, Jacob’s wife, released a touching letter in tribute to her late husband on Monday. Keltner was the 24th law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in 2019.