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Respects Paid To Fallen Trooper, Scholarship Established For Children

RANDALLSTOWN, Md. (WJZ)— Family and fellow law enforcement are gathered to remember a state trooper killed in the line of duty.

Jessica Kartalija has more on the viewing of Trooper First Class Shaft Hunter.

Hundreds have been coming all afternoon to say their final goodbyes, including other officers from other jurisdictions, as well as Governor Martin O'Malley.

Killed in the line of duty. Maryland State Trooper Shaft Hunter died in pursuit of a motorcycle on southbound I-95 on Saturday.

"He struck the rear of a tractor-trailer parked on the shoulder," said Maryland State Police Col. Terrence Sheridan at a news conference.

Now, troopers from across the state pay their final respects at a viewing Thursday in Randallstown.

"It's never easy when you lose one of your own, especially in this way," Sheridan said. Hunter was "a young trooper out there, just doing a great job."

 Neighbors call the trooper humble, always going out of his way for others.

"When you see someone in authority around you, you feel a lot more comfortable and not just that, to know that they're a friendly person and they were down to earth. And he had an awesome sense of humor," said Hunter's neighbor Laura Cuffia.

"He was a beautiful, beautiful person. Kind,  compassionate. A people person. A devoted father, " said another neighbor.

The 39-year-old state trooper leaves behind a wife and six children, ages 4 to 19.

"They're all very upset," Sheridan said. "I think it's still a shock to them after what happened. But they'll get through it. I think that Mrs. Hunter is a very strong woman, and she'll make sure they do."

The search continues for that motorcyclist on I-95. We're told he never stopped when the trooper was killed.

A scholarship fund has been established for Trooper Hunter's children.

Donations can be made at any M&T Bank in Maryland.  Or, they may be mailed to:
                    The Hunter Children's Scholarship Fund
                    M&T Bank
                    207 Bowie Road
                    Laurel, MD  20707

All donations will be used to provide for the education of TFC Hunter's six children.

The funeral is set for 11 a.m. Friday at New Antioch Baptist Church of Randallstown. Burial will be at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. Gov. Martin O'Malley has ordered the Maryland flag be flown at half-staff in Hunter's honor until sunset Friday.

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