CHARLTON, Mass. (WWLP) – Residents and police officers across the state gathered at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Charlton, Thursday night, to pay their respects to an Auburn police officer killed in the line of duty.

Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino was shot last Sunday morning during a traffic stop. The suspect, Jorge Zambrano, was later shot and killed during a shoot-out with police, after he fired at them from a bedroom closet, inside a duplex apartment in Oxford. Zambrano, had a lengthy criminal record and was out on bond.. making the loss that much harder for those who knew Tarentino.

Tarentino had been with the Auburn police department for 2 years. Before that, he was an officer in his hometown of Leicester. 22News spoke with Karen Andros, who said Tarentino saved her life years ago. “About 5 years ago I had a heart attack, and Ron came to my home and helped me. He helped me get into the ambulance. I went into cardiac arrest 3 times.”

Continuing Coverage: Officer Ronald Tarentino

Officer Tarentino was 42 years old. He is survived by his wife and 3 sons. He’s remembered by Reed Cleveland, teacher and soccer coach of the Tarentino children, as a family man. “A great family and a close family,” says Cleveland. “They’re just a big part of the community, both in Leicester and Auburn, but their real roots are in Leicester. I think it’s just a credit to this area, and how much we value police and family.”

Funeral services will be held at St. Joseph’s Church at 11:00 a.m. Friday.