Solemn procession honors Bentley Beard, 11-year-old son of Rome police officer

ROME, Ga. - A solemn procession was held on Saturday for Bentley Beard, the 11-year-old son of a Rome police officer who was killed after being struck by a car while riding his bicycle.

SEE ALSO: Child of Rome police officer killed in 'motor vehicle accident,' police say

What we know:

The honor ride began at the intersection of Highway 20 and Interstate 75 in Bartow County and continued to Henderson and Sons Funeral Home in Rome. Officials described the event as a salute to Bentley’s life.

The backstory:

The deadly accident occurred Thursday afternoon in the Silver Creek area of Floyd County. According to the Rome Police Department, emergency personnel responded to a call about a "motor vehicle accident" at 3:54 p.m. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, the young victim died from his injuries at a local hospital.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. No further details have been released.

What they're saying:

Judy Holmes stood quietly among the crowd along the side of the road, struggling to hold back tears. Holmes, whose husband is a retired deputy from Bartow County, said the tragedy struck close to home. "My husband is a retired deputy here from Bartow, so this has hit close to home to me," Holmes said.

Holmes first learned of the death of the officer's son online and began following the updates closely. "This could have been me and my family," she said. "Law enforcement is a big family, doesn't matter what county you're from."

Holmes spoke about the bond shared across the law enforcement community and the deep emotional impact incidents like this have. "It hits home hard. That's what I was saying. Law enforcement is a big community. It doesn't matter what state or county you're from, so when it affects one of them, it affects us all," she said.

As the procession prepared to pass by, Holmes reflected on the powerful emotions she felt being there to witness it. "I’m sorry. I will cry and it'll hit my heart. For his family," she said.

Holding back tears, Holmes explained why the loss felt so personal. "Because it could be, it could been me, it might easily. And my children, it didn’t matter about law enforcement. Children, that's our children too. When it affects one of them, it affects us all."

What's next:

A funeral is being planned for Saturday, April 27, at Pepperell Middle School’s gymnasium. Full details are being finalized on Monday by the funeral home.