Credit: KFI Reporter Jo Kwon

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) _ Thousands of people gathered Wednesday for the funeral of a Riverside police officer gunned down a week ago during an alleged revenge rampage by ex-Los Angeles policeman Christopher Dorner.

Throngs of uniformed law enforcement officers from around the nation packed Grove Community Church to mourn Officer Michael Crain, 34. A white-gloved honor guard carried his flag-draped coffin inside to the sound of bagpipes.

His colleagues, with black tape on their badges, massed on a stage next to a floral arrangement in the shape of a badge.

Speakers described Crain as a loving husband and father and praised his 11 years of Riverside police service.

``He now becomes a pillar of trust for our community'' and a model for others, Riverside police Capt. John Wallace said.

An overflow crowd watched the service on a big-screen television from rows of chairs outside the church.

Earlier, dozens of black-and-white patrol cars and fleets of motorcycles escorted the hearse through city streets and under a giant U.S. flag suspended from fire engine ladder trucks.

Crain's funeral was held just a day after Dorner was believed to have died in a burning cabin in the San Bernardino Mountains after a San Bernardino County sheriff's deputy was killed and another wounded in a shootout.

Remains found in the cabin had yet to be officially identified, but the outcome of the shootout ended a massive manhunt for Dorner, a fired Los Angeles police officer who authorities said vowed in an online rant to wage war on current and former LAPD officials and to kill officers from any other agency who tried to arrest him.

Authorities say Crain wasn't looking for Dorner and had no idea he was in the area when Crain and another officer were ambushed in their patrol car at a stoplight in the city on Feb. 7.

Crain, a field training officer, was on graveyard patrol with a rookie officer, who was wounded.

Crain leaves his wife, son Ian, 10, and a 4-year-old daughter, Kaitlyn. They were under police protection while Dorner was being sought.

The department said Crain loved attending dance recitals with his daughter, coaching his son's baseball team and restoring his 1970 Chevy Nova.

Crain joined the Riverside police force in 2001 after leaving the Marine Corps, where he served two tours in Kuwait, was promoted to sergeant, and later taught military operations in urban terrain at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County.

Posted by David Perez