POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida community gathered with their motorcycles for a memorial ride in memory of a fallen Broward Sheriff’s Office deputy.
Loved ones gathered at a Walgreens parking lot in Pompano Beach, Thursday, to pay their respects to BSO Sgt. Christopher Reyka, a Marine Corps veteran and father of four who died 10 years ago in that very same place.
The crowd will take off in their motorcycles and head to the National Cemetery in Lake Worth where Reyka is buried.
“This is where someone, our father, spent his last moments on Earth,” said his son Sean Reyka.
The celebration marks the second of its kind for the deceased officer. The first celebration took place in March.
BSO deputies rushed to the Walgreens parking lot Aug. 10, 2007 to aid their dying comrade who was shot outside of his patrol car.
“I was the first to get here that night,” said BSO Deputy Brian Donnelly. “It’s that memory that never goes away. It’s always there.”
No arrests were ever made for Reyka’s murder. “The fact that it is still an open case and they haven’t closed the case — we want to keep that incident relative and active,” said Donnelly.
“[The memorial] is to remember his honor, his family. His son is now a deputy here in Broward County. His daughter’s a deputy in Palm Beach County,” he said.
As more gathered for the afternoon ride, Reyka’s son said the location is significant not just because it was where his father died but because the place serves as his sanctuary.
“I do come here from time to time. Especially in times when there’s some sort of great turmoil in my life or I’m seeking some sort of guidance where maybe I’m looking for some sort of answers,” said Sean. “My focus isn’t on what happened that night but the preceding 20 years that I had him.”
Had he not died, Reyka would now be the grandfather of four children.
The case remains open and deputies are still looking for answers.
If you have any information on the death of Christopher Reyka, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.
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