Community holds candlelight vigil for fallen McKeesport Officer Sean Sluganski
MCKEESPORT, Pa. (KDKA) — Hundreds of people gathered Wednesday for a candlelight vigil for fallen McKeesport Officer Sean Sluganski.
The vigil was underneath the Blue-Top Pavilion at Renzie Park in McKeesport. Members of the community, the mayor of McKeesport, faith leaders, police officers from numerous departments — including McKeesport Officer Charles Thomas — and family members of Sluganski attended the event.
A local pastor is praying over Officer Chuck Thomas right now, asking for healing. pic.twitter.com/kuhuzd1uhG
— 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐜𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 (@roycejonesnews) February 8, 2023
Sluganski and Thomas were shot Monday while responding to a call in the city. Thomas was released from the hospital on Monday and is recovering.
Organizers said their police officers do so much for the community and this was their way of honoring them.
"It's a sad world," organizer Billie May Vranka told KDKA-TV. "It's a really sad world that someone could take out a police officer the way that they did."
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko, who spoke at the vigil, said he has been in constant communication with the Sluganski family.
"They are absolutely admirable. To see their perspective on things, knowing that officer Sluganski loved what he did, loved his community, and never wanted to be anywhere else and serve and protect the residents of McKeesport," he said.
Thomas attended Wednesday's event with his arm in a sling and appeared to have a small bandage on his left cheek.
"Officer Thomas is doing, physically, as well as he could be," Cherepko said. "It was nothing less than miraculous to be shot in the face and come out of the neck and to be home that night from the hospital. That is a miracle."
Cherepko said at the very least, McKeesport's officers are off the street until Sluganski's funeral.
In the next couple of days, a tax-free benevolence fund will be announced, where 100% of the proceeds will benefit Sluganski's family.