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Deputy Koontz to be honored with 21-gun salute

KOKOMO, Ind. (WISH) — A Howard County deputy killed in the line of duty will be honored with bagpipes, drums and a 21-gun salute. A funeral and visitation are planned for next week.

The visitation is set for Monday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the funeral will start at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Both will be held at a special place for Koontz: Northwestern High School.

Koontz worked as a school resource officer at Northwestern two days a week.

“He’d be the person to greet them in the morning and the person to say goodbye in the afternoon,” Northwestern School Corp. Superintendent Ryan Snoddy said. “He had an uncanny ability to connect with anybody.”

Snoddy said he has plenty of memories of Koontz. His favorite story is from this year, when a student got into a minor car accident.

Koontz rushed to the scene.

“He really just took his time to put that student at ease. To say, ‘Hey, you’re okay. Cars are replaceable,’” Snoddy said. “He was just there for support to help that student through a new experience for that student.”

According to Snoddy, that wasn’t at all out of character for Koontz.

Students and staff are proudly wearing blue ribbons. It’s a sign of respect for a man who, Snoddy says, deserves nothing less. Now Snoddy is helping prepare the school for the services.

“We don’t have enough space. I’m certain of that,” he said.

Organizers said they’re not sure how many people will show up, but attendance could be as high as 2,000.

“There wasn’t a person he wouldn’t talk to and there wasn’t a person who won’t be affected by this loss.”

Members of the Indiana Fraternal Order of Police are helping plan the services. Students and staff at Northwestern High School are stepping in to help prepare.

Koontz will be laid to rest at the Albright Cemetery in Kokomo.

Sgt. Jordan Buckley was also shot while serving the warrant. Buckley was released from the hospital Monday and spoke about Koontz Tuesday.

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