WCNC

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Sean Clark “finished strong,” dying while clicking his radio so dispatchers would know something was wrong, a fellow officer said during his funeral Thursday.

Charlie Eubanks said that after Clark was shot at an east Charlotte apartment complex Saturday night, he struggled to let someone know about the emergency. Clark, 34, and fellow Officer Jeff Shelton, 35, died early Sunday morning.

They had been responding to a disturbance call at the Timber Ridge Apartments. Demeatrius Montgomery, 25, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Friends and family honored Clark in Thurdsay morning’s two-hour funeral at Calvary Church, which was packed with mourners, many of them uniformed police officers.

Afterward, a funeral procession of dozens of police cars and motorcycles traveled through the city to Forest Lawn West cemetery, where Clark was laid to rest. Residents lined the procession route, waving American flags, holding signs of support and dabbing away tears. Many said they would return Friday for Shelton's funeral procession.

During the funeral service, Pastor Dale Holden said he met Sean Clark as a “wiry kind of a kid” in his church youth group.

He said Clark always had faith in God, even in the most difficult times, and was a loving and selfless person.

Holden said Clark found “the one” in his wife Sherry, and joked about how Clark passed out during the wedding ceremony and fell over.

“Nothing was going to stop him from getting married, not even that knot on the back of his head,” Holden said.

Holden fought back tears as he talked about his friendship with Clark.

“Sean was my friend, and I miss my friend,” Holden said. “The first thing that came to my mind (after his death) was, let me get my hands on the person that did this because I wanted to kill them… that’s not something you usually hear from a pulpit.”

But Holden said that wouldn’t demonstrate the traits that Clark personified – love and sacrifice.

“When I let go of love because of my own anger… would that be doing him justice?” Holden said. “No, it would not.”

Pam Johnson, cousin of Clark’s wife Sherry, read a poem at the start of the funeral, saying “We will never forget the special friend he was to all.” She described him as a talkative and fun-loving person who some nicknamed “Buzz” because of his short hair.

She asked people to give whatever photos and memories they could to Sherry so she could put together an album for the Clarks’ son Brayden, 3, and their unborn child.

Mayor Pat McCrory also spoke, telling Clark’s family that he hoped they “hear and feel the prayers of thousands upon thousands of citizens in this community.”

He made a point to thank the residents of Timber Ridge Apartments, where Clark and Shelton were shot and killed. Residents rushed to aid the fallen officers after the shooting Saturday night.

Clark’s best friend, Keith Gardner, described Clark as a “hero.”

“You made us laugh and smile, and your departure makes us cry,” Gardner said. “We will miss you terribly, but we will never forget the difference you made in all of our lives… I love you, brother.”

As the service began, Clark’s flag-draped casket was carried into the sanctuary, preceded by his colleagues from the North Tryon Division.

With one hand, Sherry Clark held on to her son Brayden, and with the other, she clutched a small stuffed puppy.

A day earlier, mourners had arrived at the church for visitation with Clark’s family. The visitation line was long and moved slowly.

A crowd estimated at nearly 1,000 people passed Clark's casket and gave condolences to family.

"It's painful inside, people waiting and all, and nobody seemed to be in a hurry," said friend John Jackson.

Jackson was a regular caller into WFNZ sports talk radio as "Redd Foxx" and Clark was a regular listener. He had to say goodbye.

They met at Panthers games and talked. Wednesday, he looked at his friend's open casket.

"That's painful, it's painful," said the 74-year-old.

"Those people lose their life upholding the law for us. It could be your neighborhood, it could be you next time."

Officer Jeff Shelton's family began receiving family and friends at Calvary Church on Thursday evening. His funeral will be Friday morning at 11 a.m. also at Calvary Church. Click here for Shelton’s funeral procession route (pdf).

Mothers of Murdered Offspring held a silent march Wednesday night honoring the two officers. It began at Marshall Park at 8 p.m. with a candlelight vigil and ended with a silent march to CMPD headquarters.

Montgomery, the suspect in the murders, made his first court appearance Tuesday. Police have not yet released a motive in the case. Montgomery could face the death penalty if convicted.

Montgomery is in protective custody away from other inmates at the Mecklenburg County Jail.