Hundreds of first responders, friends and family attended a memorial service Tuesday for Broadwater County Sheriff’s Deputy Mason Moore in Belgrade. Moore was fatally shot May 16 after what started as a routine traffic stop.
Deputy Moore wrote a special letter to his wife Jodi that was only to be opened in a worst-case-scenario; if he was killed on the job.
Jodi Moore shared part of that note with those who viewed Mason’s memorial on a livestream that was broadcast Tuesday.
“Don’t let hate take over your life. I enjoyed every moment of life with you. Enjoy life,” Moore said, reading from the letter.
Pastor Curtis Crow of The Bridge Church in Belgrade was one of Moore’s best friends.
“He was almost off duty. A couple of miles away from home. He could’ve looked the other way in the moment, but Mason never shirked his duty," Crow said. "Mason pursued, because he was a man of integrity."
Wynn Meehan is sheriff of Broadwater County.
“My heart’s sunk. My heart’s broke. I’m a man without spirit right now. It is definitely broken,” Meehan said.
Meehan urged his colleagues to try to pick up the pieces. “It’s been tough. This one hits home. I’m going to ask everybody to honor him…to get back to it. For our state. For our communities and our families.”
Hundreds of law enforcement and emergency vehicles from across Montana and neighboring states escorted Moore’s body to Three Forks.
Moore will eventually be interred in his home state of South Carolina.
The suspected shooter was fatally wounded near Missoula. The shooter’s father is in custody and charged with accountability to deliberate homicide in Moore’s death.