BRIGHTON, Colo. — Hundreds of car enthusiasts gathered in Brighton Sunday for the Back the Blue Cruise, to raise money for Colorado’s three law enforcement officers who have been shot and killed in the line of duty in the past three months.
Douglas County sheriff’s deputy Zackari Parrish was killed on New Year’s Eve. Adams County sheriff’s deputy Heath Gumm was killed on Jan. 24. And El Paso County sheriff’s deputy Micah Flick was killed on Feb. 5.
Larry Thompson Jr. created the car cruise. Initially, he wanted the car club he’s a part of to drive through to the counties of the men who were shot and killed.
However, once other people heard about the event, they wanted to join, too.
“If you’ve seen the processions — or anything like that — that’s happened recently, it’s a giant statement to see that many cars driving down the road, in support of one thing,” Thompson said.
“So, it’s going to be interesting and amazing.”
Hundreds of cars the showed up for the cruise, including Jaymes and Michaenna Rock, who drove up in a pickup truck with an American flag and a flag honoring the thin blue line.
“As much as we all see the cop on the corner and we slow down, don’t want them to pull us over, what they do on a daily basis (is) respond to people,” Jaymes Rock said.
“We don’t see it everyday. We don’t think about it. But, there are places that they’re very much involved in.”
Thompson asked that drivers of each car donate at least $20 and he said that money will be divided among the deputies’ families.