MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Locally and nationally, the tributes and donations continue to pour in for Memphis Police Officer Corille Jones - known as CJ - who died in the line of duty Thursday morning.
Friday, MPD described Officer Jones as dedicated to the community he served and the men and women he worked alongside with at Ridgeway Station.
"He is the quintessential servant, city servant," Memphis Police Association President Essica Cage-Rosario said.
That's how Cage-Rosario remembered Officer Jones, as the MPA and others helped MPD officers cope with the unexpected loss.
"The officers of the Memphis Police Department, particularly the officers of the Ridgeway Station, they are having a hard time right now," Cage-Rosario added.
But out of that collective grief for Officer Jones is a collective response from the Memphis area.
As of late Friday afternoon, an MPD-led fundraiser launched Thursday brought in more than $30,000 for the 32-year-old's two daughters.
"It says that the citizens and the people who are making contributions understand the sacrifice, they understand and see some of the work that this officer was out in the community doing and what he was trying to do for this city. And they can emphasize what his family has to go through and what his daughters will have to go through," Cage-Rosario said.
Officer Jones' death on duty also sparked tributes from the greater law enforcement community nationwide. That included sympathetic Facebook posts from police in south Florida and California along with a dedication for Officer Jones on the website, 'Officer Down Memorial Page'.
"It's a family," Cage-Rosario said. "Law enforcement officers - they know, usually other departments have dealt with it like we have and they know how hurtful it is and they know how close we are."
Friday, a statement by MPD read in part: "Officer Jones was a hardworking young officer with a pleasant disposition and a smile on his face. He personified what it means to be the Best In Blue and his hard work and dedication to serving our community will be missed. Your service and ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten."
"Everything I have seen and heard about Officer Jones has been just positive," Cage-Rosario said.
Memphis Fire Chief Gina Sweat said Friday about Jones, who also served in the Memphis Fire Department: "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Memphis Police Officer Corille Jones, as well as our brothers and sisters in blue as they cope with the loss of one of their own. Tragedies like these are often hard to understand, take time to process and leave a void that can never be filled. We ask that the citizens of Memphis keep the Jones family and all first responders in their prayers."
The Tennessee Highway Patrol continues to investigate what caused Thursday morning's deadly accident and had no new details to report Friday. The identity of the other driver killed has not yet been released.
If you are interested in donating to the MPD fund for Officer Jones' family, CLICK HERE.