Wake held for fallen NYPD officer Rafael Ramos

NEW YORK -- Police officers from around the country arrived Friday for the wake and funeral of one of the two NYPD officers who were killed last weekend in Brooklyn.

The silence spoke for itself in Glendale, Queens as the flag draped casket carrying the body of Officer Rafael Ramos was carried slowly into the Christ Tabernacle Church.

There was a somber salute, but no one said a word.

People waiting to attend the wake stood outside for hours in the cold, and the sea of blue heading inside was a clear sign that Ramos' death has resonated in communities near and far.

Eyewitness News spoke about Ramos with his commanding officer.

"A guy who dedicated his life to helping others, studying to be a pastor, before coming a police officers, he worked for school safety, you know, protecting kids in school," said Capt. Sergio Centa, of the 84th Precinct.

His church pastor said Ramos and his family were dedicated volunteers and regular fixtures at mass.

"It's one thing to pray for something in another part of the country, it's another when it hits this close to home. And so, as a church and as a community, praying for our city, praying for our nation," said Pastor Ralph Castillo, of Christ Tabernacle Church.

And by their show of support, it is very clear that to the thousands out there who never met officers Ramos or Liu, what matters now is respect and understanding, even if it feels like it's too little too late.

"And that we appreciate all the officers and what they do for us, and how they keep us safe when we need them they're there. Unfortunately, not everybody understands it and appreciates it," said Laura Hatton, a Glendale resident.

Rafael Ramos and Wen Jian Liu were shot in their patrol car Saturday by a man who later shot himself. More than 25,000 are expected at Saturday's funeral for officer Ramos.

In a holiday season that for so many has been so badly out of tune, Christine Kim stood for hours at the shrine to Ramos and Liu, serenading New York's finest on Christmas night.

"We are very safe, even when we are sleeping, they are not sleep, they working, you know? So police man job is really hard," said Kim.

On Christmas night, the Ramos family prayed at the memorial and walked a line of officers, thanking every one.

"This family is destroyed - wow, it's just crazy," said family spokesman Juan Rodriguez.

Investigators said the shooter, Ismaaiyl Brinsley, was an emotionally disturbed loner, who started off his rampage by shooting an ex-girlfriend in Baltimore. He also posted online threats to police and made references to high-profile cases of unarmed black men killed by white police officers.

The killings ramped up emotions in the already tense national debate over police conduct. Since Ramos and Liu were killed, police in New York said they've arrested six people accused of threatening officers. A seventh man was arrested Thursday on gun charges after a bystander overheard him making threats against police officers and talking about guns in his home.

The wake for Ramos will be held until 7 p.m., at Christ Tabernacle Church on Myrtle Avenue in Glendale. The wake will be followed by a memorial service Friday at 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the same location before interment at Cypress Hills Cemetery.

According to the Nassau Police Benevolent Association, about 500 officers from Nassau County will be attending Ramos' funeral.

Ramos celebrated his 40th birthday earlier this month. He had joined the NYPD in 2012 after working as a school security officer.

The lifelong Brooklyn resident was married with two sons: a 13-year-old who is in middle school and one who attends Bowdoin College in Maine.

Liu's funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.

The Silver Shield Foundation, a charity founded by the late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, has set aside $40,000 for the education of Ramos' sons. Bowdoin College said it will cover Ramos' older son's education costs as long as he remains a student there.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a charity created after 9/11, says it will pay off the home mortgages of the two slain officers.

Additionally, there will be no parking on Central Avenue between Myrtle Avenue and 73rd Place, Otto Road between Cypress Hills Street and 69th Place, and Metropolitan Avenue between Fresh Pond Road and 73rd Place.

Meanwhile, JetBlue has announced it will offer free flights to law enforcement agencies wanting to send representatives to attend the funeral.