Visitation for Raleigh officer killed in shooting starts emotionally heavy weekend of goodbyes

More than 100 people came to pay their respects to officer Gabriel Torres, the fallen Raleigh police officer killed in last week's mass shooting.

This as the city continues to mourn all five people lost, just over a week ago.

Over the last week, a lot of folks have been taking time to mourn, and grieve on their own, and with their families. On Sunday afternoon, there will be a chance for the public to do that with a vigil at Memorial Auditorium.

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The city is coming together to mourn the fallen, including Torres. The cars started coming Friday and they didn't stop.

A parking lot full of friends, neighbors and fellow officers, wearing black-striped police badges, here to say goodbye.

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said she wanted to be here for the family and to offer support.

"They said they feel the love," Baldwin said. "They feel taken care of. They feel supported. Hearing that makes me feel we're doing the right thing ... this was so emotional, and seeing their little girl there is heartbreaking, and knowing she won't grow up with her daddy ... I just ... I don't know how people get through it."

Outside the service, American flags lined the streets, the afternoon sun lighting up the red, white and blue.

A Raleigh police car sat in the parking lot, the roof draped in black, mirrors hanging with ribbons.

The visitation was just the first tribute for Torres. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday.

Torres' name will be among the victims honored on Sunday in downtown Raleigh.

Raleigh-Apex NAACP President Gerald Givens will give the keynote speech at Sunday's vigil.

"We're gonna show our hope, and we're going to show our love, as come together to take the steps towards healing," Givens said.

"When you hear the fact that seven members of my family have died from gun violence, as recently as last week, I believe they think I can put together the right words to say to our community during this time," Givens said.

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The event, organized by the NAACP, Moms Demand Action, and the city of Raleigh will also feature Gov. Roy Cooper and Baldwin.

Baldwin said kindness and love are what's needed right now.

​"What I would say is open up your heart, come to the vigil we're having on Sunday, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.," Baldwin said. "I understand some of the families will be there, and we want them to feel the love as well."

The mayor is also brought up those GoFundMe pages that several of the families impacted by this mass shooting have set up.