Friends and family, including Officer Liquori Tate’s father, Ronald Tate, and mother Youlander Ross mourned their loss on social media.
Youlander Ross is a longtime childcare professional and an awesome mom! In an interview on Mothers' Day, Youlander spoke peaceful encouraging words which have reached other countries and will likely continue to resonate through our country and beyond,
"I will let them know "you took something very valuable away from me. But in that, I will still forgive you. You took my baby. I will still forgive you."
Tate’s father told The Los Angeles Times:
Man, oh God, I can’t begin to explain to you what that does to a parent. You know, that just killed me, that took my time – the clocks, the hands – everything stopped moving. Sleep don’t matter no more, food don’t matter no more. I haven’t eaten, I haven’t slept, my body don’t care. All the things you think matter in life … all of that went out the door. It stopped me, it stopped my time, nothing matters no more. If I could have traded everything I could in that minute to get my son back, I would have” done it.
Hattiesburg, MS Officer Liquori Tate Memorial Fundraiser
Tate, 25, was a recent graduate of the police academy. He hadn’t yet come up on his first anniversary with the police department. According to a post on Tate’s Facebook page in which he thanked his friends and family for their support, Tate graduated just last summer, on June 11, 2014. Upon graduation, Tate was awarded the “Top Shot Proficiency Pistol Award.” Before joining the Hattiesburg Police Department, Tate graduated from South Pike High School and then went on to attend Southwest Mississippi Community College. Tate was not married and didn’t have any children, but he seemed to be very involved with his family. His personal Facebook page is filled with photos of him and his siblings.At just 25 years of age and less than one full year out of the Police Academy, Police Officer Liquori Tate has paid the ultimate price for working to keep the community safe.... from bustle.com
"The men and women who go out every day to protect us, the men and woman who go out every day to make sure that we're safe, they were turned on (Saturday) night," Hattiesburg Mayor, Johnny DuPree said outside Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, where the officers were taken.
Funds raised will be given to Officer Liquori Tate's Proud and Honorable FATHER!
(Officer Tate leaves behind two younger brothers and a sister)
