SEBRING, Fla. – People wanting to express condolences and remember a Highlands County deputy killed in the line of duty have a few opportunities.
The first is a candlelight vigil to mourn the late William J. Gentry Jr., which set for 8 p.m. Wednesday at Fireman's Field, located at 681 Magnolia Ave.
A public memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 15, with hundreds of law enforcement personnel across the state and nationally expected to attend. People are asked to avoid the Sebring area unless they are part of the service because of the anticipated congestion, Sheriff Paul Blackman said.
Family will host a private service a day earlier.
Deputy Gentry was shot Sunday while checking on a home about a report of a man who allegedly fired upon a cat. The suspected shooter, Joseph Ables, shot Gentry in the head when he went to Ables' door.
Gentry died Monday afternoon at the Lee Memorial Hospital.
Blackman remembers working with Gentry, who seemingly fell obsessed in wanting a K-9 handler. Gentry bugged Blackman for "three days straight" about how he could become one.
He succeeded.
"The kind of guy that deputy Gentry is -- was," said Blackman, speaking through tears, "he had set that goal that he wanted to be a K-9 handler and he accomplished that goal very, very quick."
Gentry was a nine-year veteran of the force, who had recently rejoined the Highlands County Sheriff's Office in February 2017, according to a post on the sheriff's office Facebook page. Gentry left in 2013 to start his own business.
He originally joined Highlands County as a deputy in 2005.
Gentry's brother is also a deputy with the county.
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