Mourners gather at KeyArena for slain officer's memorial

Brothers Logan and Parker Eugenio stood at attention in their Scout uniforms and solemnly saluted as a steady procession of police cars and fire vehicles made their way to KeyArena for the memorial service for slain Seattle police Officer Timothy Brenton.

Logan, a 10-year-old Cub Scout, and Parker, 13, a Boy Scout, are the sons of veteran Seattle police Officer David Eugenio. They stood with their mother Candyce and hundreds of others along Montlake Boulevard Friday morning to watch the stream of vehicles because they felt the "need to come down here and salute the officers," said Parker.

Three small U.S. flags were planted in the grass in front of them.

Brenton's family rode in one of the lead vehicles in the procession and were among the first to arrive at KeyArena.

Despite some heavy rainfall earlier, hundreds of people lined the procession route.

Wayne Reisenauer and his wife, Karen Helminger, rode their bicycles from the Wallingford neighborhood to the UW.

"It was my wife's idea — a great one — to come down and honor a fallen police officer," he said.

Reisenauer, his eyes welling with tears, said police risk their lives every day so it's "the least I can do" to honor Brenton.

"It's important to show the community we care for them and honor them for their service," Helminger said.

Bill Moody and his wife, Martha Bosma, UW professors, were with hundreds of others who lined the memorial route along Montlake Boulevard Northeast. Moody said they came "to pay our respects to somebody who was trying to do his job and got killed."

The procession, which began about 20 minutes later than the scheduled starting time of 9 a.m., wound through several Seattle streets, past the SPD's East Precinct where Brenton worked, before reaching KeyArena just after 10 a.m.

As the procession passed the East Precinct at about 9:37 a.m., officers stood at attention. Mourners stood across the street from the precinct, some with hands over their hearts, fighting back tears.

On Denny Way near the Space Needle, two Seattle Fire Department ladder trucks hoisted an American flag, creating an arch with their ladders as the procession passed underneath.

As the KeyArena memorial began, Deputy Chief Clark Kimerer said the event was an opportunity to remember and give thanks to "a man of quiet dignity and virtue." He called Brenton an "upright, courageous man ... a teacher."

Also scheduled to speak at the memorial service are Interim Seattle Police Chief John Diaz, Mayor Greg Nickels, Gov. Chris Gregoire, former Seattle Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske, now the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, and Brenton's sister-in-law, Jennifer Crigger.

Brenton and student officer Britt Sweeney, 33, were parked on 29th Avenue, just north of East Yesler Way in the Leschi neighborhood just after 10 p.m. Saturday when someone pulled up next to their patrol car and opened fire. Brenton was killed instantly and Sweeney suffered minor wounds.

She was able to get out of the car and fire at the vehicle, which backed up and sped away.

Though tips continue to pour in and investigators are putting in long days tracking every bit of information, Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel said that detectives haven't identified a suspect. However, police said they are looking for a white or light beige 1980 to 1983 Datsun 210 in connection with the attack.

Brenton, 39, leaves behind a wife and two children. The family lives in Marysville.

Brenton was born in Seattle in February 1970 and spent his early childhood in Poulsbo and Woodinville. He graduated from West Seattle High School in 1988. He served in the Army during the first Gulf War.

Brenton joined the Hoquiam Police Department, then moved to the La Conner Police Department, where he served for three years. Brenton joined the Seattle Police Department in December 2000.

Information from Seattle Time archives is included in this report