Van Zandt County, law enforcement honor fallen deputy Adam Sherifi

The worst of times can often bring out the best in people, and that's what we saw Monday in Van Zandt County when the entire community came out to honor fallen sheriff's deputy Adam Sherifi.  

Sherifi was killed in a shootout by a suspect last week while he was trying to serve a felony warrant. He was doing his duty, keeping his community safe.  

This street is empty now, but it was standing room only as members of law enforcement from around the state and community members came out to welcome home a man who gave his life to ensure his community stayed safe.  

Silence is the sound of grief, and silence draped the streets of Canton as fallen Van Zandt County Sheriff's Deputy Adam Sherifi made his way home.

"Very broken, very, very broken. It's way too close to home," said Lorie Brown. She works for Fuller's Towing, the company that hoisted an American flag to greet Deputy Sherifi. 

"It was such a devastating loss. Unimaginable in a small community like this," said Amanda Gray, the president of the Republican Women of Van Zandt club.

Sherifi, the husband and father of three, left the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office at 9:55 a.m. Monday. He was escorted home by dozens of law enforcement vehicles.  

They were saluted by more along the way.  

When he arrived in Canton, the streets were lined with people paying their respects, and Sherifi passed under an American flag raised by his community.  

"My heart broke, it just totally shattered. Tears, of course. It was just very, very overwhelming. Very overwhelming," said Brown.

"Immediately brought tears to my eyes. I just, I can't imagine what the family is going through right now. I see what our community is going through, and it's just — it's heartbreak. You don't expect something like this to hit so close to home," said Gray.

The funeral for Sherifi will be held on Wednesday at Gravity Athletics at 1 p.m. in Canton.