Restaurant hosts fundraiser for fallen Hayward officer's family
HAYWARD, Calif. (KTVU) -- In Hayward Tuesday, a restaurant was packed since opening with police officers, firefighters and people from the community who came to help support the family of Police Sgt. Scott Lunger.
Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que in Hayward is donating 35 percent of the entire day and evening proceeds to a fund established for Sgt. Lunger's family.
Lunger was killed July 22nd in the line of duty during a traffic stop.
Hundreds of people, many of them police officers, firefighters and law enforcement from Alameda County packed into the Winton Avenue restaurant.
The organization Police and Fire: The Fallen Heroes hopes to raise thousands of dollars through the restaurant and raffle tickets.
"When one gives of their life in the line of duty we need to step up and do something. It's a way of giving back," said organizer Tom Gallinatti.
The restaurant says the lunch hour alone drew more people than a typical lunch and dinner crowd combined.
"To know this many people care so much to come out, there's really no better words than thank you," said Hayward Police Lt. Eric Krimm.
An Alameda County Sheriff's Deputy who declined to give her name came with her husband and little boy. Her voice filled with emotion as she spoke of the fraternity of law enforcement officers.
"It's important so the family can see we're all family. That we support them and they're not alone. And nobody should feel that way, she said.
But not everyone who came was connected to law enforcement.
We're part of the community. And we feel, in a way, being respectful to someone who meant a lot to us, said Hayward resident Ernesto Galloso.
For the Hayward Police Department, the grieving continues. But so does the job.
"We've got to carry on. It's what we chose to do in life," said Krimm.
The fundraiser continued until 10 p.m. Tuesday night.