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Boone County Sheriff’s Office: Deputy Pickett passes away

LEBANON (WISH) — Hundreds of people attended Sunday evening prayer services in Lebanon in honor of Deputy Jacob Pickett. Pickett was shot in the line of duty on Friday.

The sheriff announced Friday that Pickett would not survive his injuries.  Early Monday morning, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office posted a message to social media say that Deputy Jacob Pickett had passed away.

“Little did we know what this week would have in store for our usually quiet rural community,” said Pastor Andrew Bowen during the service. Bowen also serves as a chaplain for the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

He spoke to a crowd of people who came to the service looking for peace and comfort.

“We need a lot of prayer, we need a lot of love, as we try to heal from this and try to love one another and support one another,” said Pastor Tom Evans, who also helped run the service.

The loss of Deputy Pickett is one felt by people who never even had a chance to meet him. Organizers say getting through it won’t be easy.

“This community needs a lot of healing, and we need to be unified, and we are hoping that this sparks that unity, sparks that love and sparks that healing,” said Evans.

The loss comes during an especially tough time for this community. In the same week they also lost the lives of a high school student and city council member.

“There are all kinds of lives that have been affected, not just by Deputy Pickett’s death, but also Sydney Foster and Jeremy Lamar… and it just kind of snowballs on us,” said Bowen.

The prayer services were held at Lebanon Christian Church and Freedom Church.