‘I will cherish every moment we shared’: Funeral held for OPP officer killed in the line of duty

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Tarun Bali, the 29-year-old Ontario Provincial Police officer killed in the line of duty in northern Ontario last week, was remembered for his selflessness and courage at an emotional funeral Thursday.

The service was attended by dignitaries, family members, and hundreds of Bali’s fellow OPP officers, who braved a torrential downpour as his funeral procession arrived at the Mississauga Sports and Entertainment Centre.

Bali, who was originally from Brampton, and members of the James Bay detachment were attempting to stop a vehicle in Hearst, Ont., (roughly 950 kilometres north of Toronto) at approximately 12:30 p.m. last Tuesday when he was struck and killed.

Bali is the second OPP officer to be killed in the line of duty in recent months. In April, Brandon Malcolm died in a single-vehicle collision involving a motorcycle on Highway 401 in Cobourg. Two days after Bali was killed, Marc Pinizzotto, a Toronto police officer, was fatally shot in North York while executing a search warrant.

This is a recap of Thursday’s service:

12 p.m. - Bali’s father speaks

Bali’s father, Ashok, referred to his son as “my love” and recalled hearing his aspirations of becoming a police officer as early as age two.

“My family and I came to Canada in 2005 and, like other hardworking immigrants, my wife and I also worked hard to raise our kids to give them a life of full opportunities, and we made them capable enough to stand on their own.

“He wanted to become an officer, he loved being part of this community, and he believed deeply in helping others. We hope this legacy will remind people of the commitment and sacrifice made by officers every single day.”

11:45 p.m. - ‘To Tarun, my words fall short’: Bali’s wife says in tearful address

Bali’s wife, Komal Sharma Bali, spoke tearfully as she delivered a final message to her late husband.

“To Tarun, my words fall short of how I feel, but I am so lucky to love you and to be loved by you, and I’m so proud of you.

“Thank you for choosing me and loving me so much, so much. It has been an honor, and it will continue to be an honor to be your wife. No amount of time would ever have been enough, truly, but I will cherish every moment we shared.

“You are my greatest blessing, my best friend, the love of my life. I love you with my whole heart. Until we meet again, I hope you rest peacefully.

Sharma Bali took time during her remarks to speak “directly” to Bali’s fellow officers in northern Ontario who were with him on the day he died.

“I know that some of you may carry heavy thoughts from that day, and I know some of you may replay those moments in your minds and wonder if there was something more that you could have done. But I need you to hear this from me, and on behalf of my family, that you did everything that you could in that moment, and sometimes, as painful as it is to accept, even our very best efforts can’t change the outcome, and that’s not your fault.”

11:30 a.m. - Bali’s platoon mates make emotional address

Sgt. Jay Moore, of the Dufferin detachment, spoke on behalf of Bali’s platoon.

He admitted when he first met Bali, who was wearing the “brightest baby blue suit” he had ever seen, he thought: “This is either the cockiest or craziest recruit I’ve ever seen, showing up at a police station, looking like he’s headed to a Miami nightclub.”

“He turned and smiled at me with those massive dimples that we all see in the photos before us, and he said, ‘Hi, sir, I’m Tarun Bali,’ and without me knowing, my world had just changed.”

Describing Bali as his “adopted son,” Moore said he had a rule of keeping his direct reports at arm’s length, as to not get “too emotionally involved.”

“I broke my own rule with Bali. I not only brought him into my home and introduced him to my family, I placed him under my arm like a son.”

11:20 a.m. - ‘We are all in this together’: Top OPP officer

OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique said the Thursday morning rain which preceded Bali’s funeral was symbolic, as dozens of his fellow officers stood at attention for the funeral procession during a torrential downpour.

“As we stood outside of this arena and the skies opened up, the rain came down, the sound of thunder and lightning around us, I would venture to guess that if any of us were standing out there alone, we may have sought shelter,” he said.

“But the fact that we were together, we stood strong, and we awaited the arrival of provincial Constable Bali. And as you sit uncomfortable in your wet clothing, I know that you will find comfort that we are all in this together.”

11:15 a.m. - ‘His legacy will live on forever’: Ford

In an emotional address, Premier Ford said the people of Ontario must “never forget” Bali’s sacrifice.

“Tarun Bali was a man who put others before himself and who led by example, no matter the risk. We can see that reflected in the days and hours leading up to his death, when he showed compassion and bravery, despite the risk to himself,” Ford said.

“I know this loss is being felt far and wide, from the neighborhood in Brampton, where provincial Constable Bali grew up, to Kitchener, where he got his first start in law enforcement, and the OPP family he has today.

“While we can never properly repay the debt of gratitude that this province owes them, provincial Constable Bali will always be remembered as the hero he was, and his legacy will live on forever.”

10:55 a.m. - Lieutenant Governor underscores Bali’s courage

Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont pointed to Bali’s courage in her remarks, saying his choice to be deployed to northern Ontario was a brave one.

“It takes courage to leave a familiar place and to help where help is needed. It takes courage to answer a call for service, no matter where or when. It takes courage simply to accept the risk that comes with having a duty to keep people safe. To those who serve alongside him, thank you for answering the calls and for accepting the risks that you do each and every day,” she said.

Bali was assigned to central Ontario’s Dufferin detachment in Orangeville, but was on deployment with the James Bay detachment at the time of his death.

He was also a volunteer for Peel Region Victim Services.

10:45 a.m. - ‘Tarun was a glue’ holding his colleagues together

In his opening remarks, Chief Supt. Karl Thomas said “Tarun was a glue” which held his colleagues together during difficult challenges, most notably during a medical distress call in January.

“Tarun and other members of the Dufferin detachment responded to a call for service involving a person in medical distress. The team responded quickly in a critical moment, taking decisive action. They worked tirelessly to save a life, taking turns performing CPR until medical personnel arrived. The bond within the shift was unmatched, arguably the strongest I’ve ever seen,” he said.

10:30 a.m. - Bali’s casket carried in

Bali’s casket, draped in an Ontario flag, is carried in by eight his colleagues.

Pandit Abhay Shashtri and Acharya Sudarshan Sharma begin the funeral service with an opening Hindu prayer.

9:30 a.m. – Hearse arrives in Mississauga

The hearse carrying Bali’s body arrived at the Mississauga Sports and Entertainment Centre, where the funeral is being held, as dozens of officers braved the torrential rain to line the streets.

Flags outside the complex are being flown at half-mast. The funeral procession passed under a Canadian flag, hung by two cranes, as it arrived at the complex.

9 a.m. - Suspect was fleeing a hospital: OPP

Carrique told reporters following Bali’s death that the suspect, identified by police as 18-year-old Hearst resident Justin Veronneau, had fled from a hospital where he was being assessed under the authority of the Mental Health Act before he was stopped by police.

Veronneau was taken into custody by the OPP and a Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service officer. He’s facing charges of first-degree murder, assaulting an officer, two counts of fleeing police, resisting arrest, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and dangerous operation causing death.

Bali’s body was flown to Simcoe airport and then driven to the Chief Coroner’s Office in Toronto for examination.

First responders lined up on bridges as the hearse travelled on Highway 400.