Fallen Officer Tyler Timmins was destined to be in law enforcement, friends say - KMOV.com
Play Video 00:00 00:00 spaceplay / pause
qunload | stop
ffullscreen
shift + ←→slower / faster
↑↓volume
mmute
←→seek
. seek to previous
12… 6 seek to 10%, 20% … 60%
PONTOON BEACH, Ill. (KMOV.com) -- Since 8:00 Tuesday morning, there's been an enormous outpour of support for fallen Pontoon Beach Police Officer Tyler Timmins.
Thousands of posts and comments on social media sending thoughts and prayers to his family, while dozens of flower bouquets and teddy bears cover Timmins' police car outside the department. Timmins was shot several times early Tuesday at a Speedway gas station in Pontoon Beach, Illinois. He later died at a St. Louis area hospital.
Tuesday afternoon, close friends of Timmins reflect on their time together.
"I met Tyler about 25 years ago. We were bowling leagues and junior leagues at Wood River Bowl, and we hit it off and have been great friends ever since," Bobby Cummins said.
Cummins and Timmins were inseparable growing up. They were close with each other's families, never missed a birthday party, and Timmins even stood up in Cummins' wedding. Tuesday morning while Cummins was working, he says he overheard the news about an officer-involved shooting in Pontoon Beach.
"As soon as I heard Pontoon Beach I was like 'that's where Tyler works', and I actually sent him a text message to see if he was okay, and little did I know, this was the outcome. He would've done the same for me," Cummins said.
Cummins and other friends of Officer Timmins News 4 talked to Tuesday said he always wanted to be a police officer.
"From the day that I met him when we were little kids, he mentioned, I remember him saying, 'I always wanted to be a police officer,' and he was. That's the only job he ever had," Cummins continued.
Officer Timmins served as an officer with the Roxana Police Department, Hartford Police Department, and Worden Police Department. In 2016, he was promoted to Chief of Police in Worden. Cummins and Timmins went separate ways after high school, but after they graduated college, they picked up right where they left off. Cummins says for Timmins, being a police officer was a top priority.
"Most of us got the 9-5, Monday through Friday, and here's Tyler being a cop working midnights, working weekends and it never bothered him," Cummins said.
Despite growing up and living in Cardinal country, Cummins says Timmins was a die-hard Cubs fan, even refusing to sport the Redbirds at Timmins' brother's wedding.
"We laid him down and acted like we were stepping on him because he's the old Cubs fan, and everyone else is Cardinals. A lot of goofy, but great memories with him," Cummins explained.
Those memories are now on repeat in Cummins' head forever.
"He'd give his shirt off his back for anybody and would do anything he could to help people. He loved his job and was dedicated to being a police officer and everyone respects him for that," Cummins said.
Funeral arrangements have not been made for Officer Timmins. For now, if you'd like to assist the Timmins family during this time, click here.
source: https://www.kmov.com/news/fallen-officer-tyler-timmins-was-destined-to-be-in-law-enforcement-friends-say/article_994875ba-36c4-11ec-804f-e3f636a0baff.html
Your content is great. However, if any of the content contained herein violates any rights of yours, including those of copyright, please contact us immediately by e-mail at media[@]kissrpr.com.