3,000 To Salute Fallen Boise Officer Police From All Over The Region To Gather Today For Comrade Killed In Bar Shootout

Up to 3,000 uniformed police officers from the Pacific Northwest are expected to be on hand today as Boise honors Mark Stall, the first Boise police officer slain in the line of duty.

Police delegations from Spokane, Seattle, Portland and Salt Lake City were expected, along with representatives from many Idaho police departments, said Suzanne Burton, assistant to Boise Mayor Brent Coles.

At least two Boise television stations planned to broadcast the services.

Stall, 29, was fatally wounded Saturday night in a shootout with two Boise men.

Two men who were stopped by a patrol car and later exchanged gunshots with police officers, brothers Craig and Doug Brodrick, were shot to death.

Ada County Coroner Erwin Sonnenberg said at least 32 bullets hit the brothers.

Stall was one of the officers who responded to a request for assistance from the officers who originally stopped the Brodrick brothers.

Stall was struck by a single shot that went less than 1 inch above his bullet-proof vest and died in surgery at a hospital a short time later.

Officer Ron Winegar was wounded and remained hospitalized on Tuesday.

The funeral for Stall, who was married with daughters ages 6 and 3, will be at the Boise State University Pavilion, which seats 12,000.

So many uniformed police officers are expected that only marked and unmarked police vehicles and members of the funeral procession will be allowed to park in the area immediately around the Pavilion, Burton said.

Burial will follow at Dry Creek Cemetery.

Members of Stall’s family planted a cross at the scene of Saturday night’s gun battle, in the parking lot of a downtown tavern frequented by motorcyclists.

Bouquets of flowers and other items were deposited at the cross Monday and Tuesday.

Boise City Hall and Ada County officers will be closed during the ceremony and some downtown businesses heeded Coles’ request to close.

A fund-raising event to benefit Stall’s family was planned Saturday night at the site of the shooting, along with a candlelight vigil.