Fallen Milwaukee Police Officer will be laid to rest Saturday

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The visitation and funeral service for Milwaukee Police Officer Charles Irvine Jr. will be held at Elmbrook Church in Brookfield on Saturday, June 16. Officer Irvine was killed Thursday when the squad car he was in crashed while pursuing a vehicle. He was 23 years old. The visitation will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and the funeral service will directly follow.

The funeral service will be held in Elmbrook's sanctuary which the church says can hold about 3,000 people. There will be additional seating in the chapel, where video screens will be streaming the service. The church is expecting up to five thousand people on Saturday. A pastor from Officer Irvine’s church will be officiating the service, Elmbrook is just providing the space.

"We are just privileged that we have this facility and we just want to do everything we can to serve the family, Steve Sonderman, Executive Pastor of Ministries at Elmbrook Church, said. "Obviously our hearts are broken over what happened."

This is not the first time Elmbrook has hosted services for a fallen officer. In December 2012, Sonderman led the services for fallen Wauwatosa Officer Jennifer Sebena. She was shot and killed by her husband while she was on duty.

Remembering that day brought a tear to Sonderman's eye.

"I remember the line of officers just streaming all through the church," he said. "The respect and honoring for a fallen police officer was unbelievable to see the way Milwaukee rallied behind and supported the family."

For more details on the services for Officer Irvine, please click here. 

An official memorial fund has also been set up. People can donate at any Tri City National Bank or send checks to:

The Charles Irvine Jr. Memorial Fund C/O Tri City National Bank N96W18221 County Line Rd. Menomonee Falls, WI 53051