Yellowstone County sheriff's deputies attend funeral of fallen officer in Arizona

ARIZONA — Several deputies from the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office traveled to Gilbert, Ariz., this morning for the funeral of Gila River Police Officer Josh Briese, including Capt. Kent O'Donnell.

O'Donnell had worked with Briese's father, David, a Yellowstone County sheriff's deputy who was killed in the line of duty in Billings in 2006. That's when O'Donnell took the sons of David, Josh and Justin, under his wing.

“To some extent, it was reliving that over 18 years later, from Deputy Briese's death to today when his son died here in Arizona. Just something you wouldn't have never imagined I can't imagine how, why, but here we are 18 years later, I will say I have the honor of attending Josh Briese's service,” O'Donnell said over Zoom on Saturday.

He said the funeral this morning was very somber and low-key, with more than 1,500 law enforcement officers from across the country paying their respects.

“One of the good things is that I get to spend the last few days with Justin, Josh's older brother. We have plans to be with him tonight and he's going to go to Montana with Josh to help us lay him. rest,” O'Donnell said.

O'Donnell said Briese will be flown to Billings on Monday. The family and the sheriff's office are working with Dahl Funeral Home for a small service. A procession will take place Wednesday morning at the MetraPark pavilion between 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.

The procession will take Briese to his father's hometown of Rockvale, where he will be buried next to his father.