The outpouring of support is continuing for fallen San Diego police Detectives Ryan Park and Jamie Huntley-Park.
Sunday evening, their neighborhood along with Mayor Todd Gloria and Police Chief David Nisleit, will come together for a vigil a couple of blocks from where the couple lived.
The vigil will take place at 7 p.m. at Fourth of July Community Park in the Harmony Grove Village neighborhood of Escondido.
Neighbors spent the morning wrapping the park blue ribbons, making signs and draping Americans flags in anticipation.
“They were always the first to say 'hi' and they had a beautiful Belgian Malinois dog that was always with them,” said Brad Thomas, who often saw the couple on his morning runs. “They just seemed like tremendous people."
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On Friday, the detectives were working on their day off, driving on 5 South near the 905 when a speeding wrong-way driver crashed into them. All three died at the scene.
"We lost them, but we want to make sure that we show our respect in the most graceful fashion,” Thomas said.
Thomas said he doesn’t know how many will come, but expects a solid law enforcement presence - coming together to grieve lives lost much too soon.
"It’s unspeakable to think that both of them were multiple years younger than myself, and we have so much left in our lives and those two no longer have that opportunity,” he said.
The vigil is candle-less because of fire danger, so participants will use flashlights instead.
