Funeral service for slain U.S. Marshal

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Hundreds of law enforcement paid their respects at the funeral for U.S. Marshal Service Deputy Commander Patrick Carothers, who was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch and Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates delivered remarks at the service at the Greater Atlanta Christian School in the Norcross area. A procession for Carothers started in Buford and travelled to Norcross.

"[Carothers] represented the very best that our country has to offer," Lynch said, calling the fallen U.S. Marshal a "beloved" member of the service. 

"Pat Carothers is the personification of all that is good in law enforcement," Yates said.

The U.S. Marshals Service said 53-year-old Patrick Carothers, deputy commander of the agency's Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, died Friday, November 18, after being shot twice as a team of officers tried to serve a warrant at a mobile home in rural Long County in Southeast Georgia.

Carothers was shot by fugitive Dontrell Montese Carter. Carter had been accused of attempting to kill police officers. The shootout took place when Carothers and his team tracked Carter down and attempted to arrest him.

Carter was shot and killed at the scene.

"The fugitive who killed Deputy Commander Carothers was extremely dangerous, wanted for trying to kill law enforcement officers and deliberately evading authorities," David Harlow, deputy director of the Marshals Service, said in a statement. "Pat is a hero and our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and five children."

Carothers served 26 years with the Marshals Service and had been deputy commander of the fugitive task force for more than a year. He leaves a wife and five children.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the U. S. Marshals Survivors Benefit Fund, P. O. Box 11730, Bozeman, MT 59719 or online at usmarshalsfund.org in memory of Patrick Carothers.