Hundreds of people gathered at First Baptist Church in Tavares on Sunday to remember the police officer killed in a shooting in Lake County on Friday night and pray for the couple’s recovery.
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Bradley Link’s wife was among those present. Link died after entering a home near Eustis in what he thought was a home invasion. According to deputies, it turned out to be an ambush.
Stefano Gargano and Harold Howell were injured while trying to save Link. The sheriff’s office said Gargano was still fighting for his life Sunday and his final surgery had to be postponed.
Officers and police officers from most Lake County agencies filed into the church for the 45-minute service. Some hugged and wiped away tears as Tavares police officers guarded the front door and other entrances.
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“You have the initial shock, but you still have to be steadfast in taking care of people in our local communities,” vigil organizer Matthew Robinson said. “Law enforcement doesn’t get the opportunity to grieve like ordinary citizens do.”
A GoFundMe collection for Link’s family had raised more than $100,000 as of Sunday afternoon.
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