Revere mourns slain police officer

REVERE – Daniel Talbot’s fellow police officer who was with him when he was fatally shot last Saturday will speak final words in memory of his childhood friend today at Talbot’s funeral.William Soto and two other off duty Revere officers yet to be named by law enforcement authorities were with Talbot when a verbal exchange with a teenager walking through the Revere High School field led to gunfire and Talbot’s death.Details of the shooting have yet to be released by Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley’s office. Derek Lodie, the teen who prosecutors said initially confronted Talbot and the other officers, is being held on an accessory before the fact to murder charge and other individuals are persons of interest to police investigating the murder.One person has reportedly made a confession to investigators in connection with the murder and prosecutors are seeking grand jury indictments.Soto and other friends, colleagues and loved ones of Talbot, an Army veteran and five year Police Department member who was to be married a year from now, filed through St. Anthony’s Church Friday to pay their respects to his family.Nearly 500 other officers from across the state and out of state, including Rhode Island, joined U.S. Rep. Edward Markey in saluting Talbot.Two large displays of photographs memorializing his life were displayed in the church. They showed a young, active man enjoying snowboarding, scuba diving and fun with his friends. One photo showed Talbot in his Army uniform standing with his grandfather, William, with whom Talbot lived as a boy.”It’s devastating,” said City Councilor Douglas Goodwin, who played hockey at Revere High School for two years with Talbot.Revere officers led by Chief Terence Reardon filed first into St. Anthony’s followed by officers from other departments. Revere firefighters, some wearing heavy turnout coats and other gear, paid their respects before a long line of other mourners filed past an honor guard of six Revere officers to where Talbot’s family sat in a front pew near his casket.Revere officers lingered in front of St. Anthony’s during the wake, talking with friends and exchanging hugs and handshakes.”It’s a sober, introspective time,” said Swampscott Police Chief Ronald Madigan, who estimated he has attended three or four funerals for police officers during his 27-year career.”It’s good to see police officers pulling together,” Madigan said.State Police Chaplain Rev. Donald Milligan will celebrate Mass today.