BONNE TERRE, Mo. — Community members in and around Bonne Terre, Missouri, are coming together after two police officers were shot Thursday morning in the line of duty.
That includes Sheri Pratt, who sat at her desk in Farmington late Friday afternoon, doing her best to keep her composure.
For years, she has stood beside those who protect and serve, having spent nine years raising money for BackStoppers, an organization that assists the families of first responders who are killed in the line of duty.
"(I've organized) a lot of banquets, boot drives (and) kickball tournaments," Pratt said.
Pratt plans to do the same thing for Bonne Terre police Officer Lane Burns, who died from his injuries.
Burns and his partner, Cpl. Garrett Worley, were shot outside Motel 6, where they were dispatched to respond to a disturbance call.
Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman Cpl. Dallas Thompson identified the man who shot the pair as James Emery, 31. He lived in Maplewood and also had a recent address in Ironton.
At the Bonne Terre police department, blue and black hung high at the station in honor of the officers, something Pratt plans to continue at a ceremony planned for Sunday.
"We're going to have a small memorial table. We'll have a prayer vigil. We'll have a moment of silence,” she said.
"You only have 15 to 30 people in a department. Everybody's close. You all work together every day. Everybody's close. There's a lot of pain here," she said.
Pratt said she wanted the family and fellow officers to know they have the community's support.
"The mental health problems are outrageous right now. We're not backing our law enforcement with stricter penalties,” she said.
Sunday's vigil is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the North County High School football field.