Funeral for fallen Beech Grove Officer Brian Elliott BEECH GROVE, Ind. (WISH)- Hundreds of officers gathered at Beech Grove High school Monday morning to say goodbye to one of their own. Officer Brian Elliott’s funeral service took place Monday morning at the same place he graduated from in 2011. Hundreds of squad cars from departments across Indiana filled the parking lot as people came to the high school to honor the fallen officer’s life. Inside, people remembered a man who built his life around service. Beech Grove Mayor James Coffman delivered one of the three eulogies at the funeral, sharing that Elliott was the first officer he swore in as mayor.“April 8, 2024, was a big day for the city of Beech Grove. Not only was this the day of the total eclipse, it was Brian Elliott’s first day as a Beech Grove police officer. It was all hands on deck and every Beech Grove police officer was working that day, even the new guy,” Coffman said. Outside of law enforcement, friends say he loved riding motorcycles and served as vice president of the Circle City Cigar Club. His motorcycle, trophies, a hat of his favorite band, Metallica, and other mementos were on display in the lobby outside of the gym where his funeral service was held. His best friend Joshua Shrum, said Elliott was the type of person who always left a lasting impression. “No spotlight, no applause, just steady, solid, there. Elliott didn’t just service a community, he built one,” Shrum said during the funeral. Elliott studied criminal justice at IUPUI before working with Eskenazi Police, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and ultimately, the Beech Grove Police Department. “Was Brian so much more than a police officer? Absolutely. However, the man Brian was outside of work was on full display that night in his role of as a police officer,” Chief Michael Maurice of Beech Grove Police Department said. “Officer Brian Elliott was the best of the best, and that’s why he was a Beech Grove police officer. The question that remains, is how do we prevent this from happening in the future?” Maurice said it’s time departments have a conversation about criminal justice reform and youth violence. He said the department is still hurting but the community support and words of encouragement, has meant a lot. Officer Elliott leaves behind his wife, Erin, who he married in 2023. He is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis. ...read more read less