WOOD RIVER - A massive amount of area first responder brothers and sisters escorted the late Pontoon Beach Police Officer Tyler Timmins home Wednesday afternoon. Young and old filled with emotion, lined all sides of Sixth Street in Wood River as Officer Timmins was carried by a Granite City first responder vehicle to Marks Mortuary.
Timmins, 36, was shot outside the Speedway Convenience store on Tuesday morning and later died at a St. Louis hospital. His body was brought back in the large procession beginning at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday from St. Louis, then across the Poplar Street Bridge, Illinois Route 111, and eventually Downtown Wood River.
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Marks Mortuary in Wood River is in charge of the arrangements for Officer Timmins. As of noon Wednesday, Marks Mortuary said nothing definite had been decided on the funeral or visitation.
East Alton Fire Chief Tim Quigley worked with the Wood River Fire Department to display a flag across Illinois Route 143 as a salute to the late officer.
Quigley praised the incredible law enforcement and public support in such a quick period of time for the deceased officer. He took his hat off to the Illinois State Police for their organization of the first responders as the Timmins’ body was transported back to Illinois and eventually Marks Mortuary.
Timmins was a highly regarded 2003 East Alton-Wood River High School graduate and also worked for Roxana, Worden, and Hartford police departments. He had also served as police chief for the village of Worden before his time with the Pontoon Beach Police Department.
“This is such a shame,” Chief Quigley said. “It is a shame for a lot of people that lost a loved one. He was so young and had nothing but life ahead of him. It is an emotional time for this entire region.”
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