FAIRHOPE— If the rain kept anyone away it was hard to tell, as thousands of mourners gathered Tuesday for the funeral of Baldwin County Sheriff’s deputy Scott Ward at the Fairhope Civic Center.

There was standing-room-only as people lined the walls of the Civic Center. Police officers from across the region, from as far away as Birmingham, were in attendance as well as sheriff deputies from Alabama, Florida and Louisiana. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange and Alabama Director of Homeland Security Spencer Collier were on hand as well.

American flags lined the street leading up to the Civic Center and the Patriot Guard Riders stood outside the entrance holding flags. The Patriot Guard, a group of motorcyclists organized to oppose the Westboro Baptist Church, gathered at the funeral to pay respects.

“We will remember,” said Baldwin County Sheriff Huey “Hoss” Mack at the service. “We will honor him and we’ll go on.”

"He made you want to do better when on-duty because he was there," a fellow deputy said.

The funeral procession stretched for miles and cars lined the side of the road along Highway 98 leading up to Memory Gardens where Ward was laid to rest. The string of law enforcement vehicles took more than an hour to make their way from the civic center to the cemetery. In fact, cars were still traveling down Highway 98 when the funeral broke up.

Ward was buried with full military honors. The U.S. Coast Guard Honor Guard flew in from their home base in Alexandria, Virginia, to give the 21-gun salute. A bugler played taps, followed by “Amazing Grace,” performed on bagpipes by Mobile County Sheriff’s deputy John Spivey, dressed in full Highland regalia. A quartet of Coast Guard helicopters made a flyover in the Missing Man formation to honor of the U.S. Air Force veteran and U.S. Coast Guard Reserves member.

Ward, 47, was fatally shot Friday when he and two other officers responded to a call for assistance at 11830 Mallard Lane in the Marlow community. The officers were there to help an ambulance crew subdue Michael Jansen. Ward was shot when Jansen opened fire on the officers. Sgt. Curtis Summerlin was also shot and remains in stable condition.

Jansen was killed when the officers returned fire.

The shooting is still under investigation but District Attorney Hallie Dixon said it appears the officers acted correctly.