GALION, Ohio (WCMH) – A long line of people, many wearing their law enforcement uniforms, stretched out of the Northmor High School gymnasium Tuesday afternoon.

Another line with hundreds more formed in the school cafeteria, waiting to get into the gym where Morrow County Deputy Daniel Sherrer’s family stood by his side.

Morrow County Sheriff John Hinton greeted many of those people at the door, shaking their hands and offering hugs, hugs he never thought he would have to give.

“We’re hurting, you know, that that is to, to be expected, you know, but everyone has still came to work every day,” he said. “They’ve pulled together, they’ve supported each other. There’s so many things going on at once, because nothing ever prepares you for this, you know, there’s, I’m calling people, you know? ‘Hey, what’s my next step?’”

Morrow County Deputy Daniel Sherrer was gunned down on Memorial Day while responding to a domestic disturbance call in Marengo.

The community hasn’t been the same since.

“You never know how much you’re appreciated or loved until something like this happens,” Hinton said. “I wish there was a way I could pay them back. I probably know I never will be able to, but I just want everyone in Morrow County to know that I am proud to be born and raised here.”

Over the last week, a lot of tears have been cried for Sherrer. He was 31 years old, engaged to be married, and by all accounts, a joy to be around.

“Always had a smile on his face,” Hinton said. “He was never in a bad mood, you know? Always happy to be at work, never missed work, always smiling,”

Hinton hired Sherrer in 2021.

Sherrer’s death has been hard on everyone in the community, including the other deputies and staff at the sheriff’s office and jail.

“You know, God love them, most of them have, you know, said, ‘Hey, yeah, I’m going to work my shift,’ you know, and, and I appreciate that,” Hinton said.

Other law enforcement officers and loved ones traveled from all over Ohio Tuesday to show the Morrow County community they are loved, and they’ve got their back.

Hinton has been blown away by the support his office has received in the last week, which is why he made it a point to greet and shake the hand of every person who came to the vigil last Thursday and again at the visitation Tuesday.

“It’s more of a way to the only way I can think to give back right now to the community that has,” he said. “You know what? When we brought him home from Dayton, you know, the amount of people that showed up. And I was standing there trying, I was like, how can I pay the people back? You know, the only thing I could think of at the time was go out and thank them and tell them how much you appreciate them for being there. And, and I decided I would, I would do that, today as well, you know, to, to make sure they know that we do love and appreciate everything they’ve done for us.”

Sherrer’s family and loved ones stood at the front of the gym for hours, shaking hands, hugging, and crying with people. Many folks they didn’t know and had never met. For the family, they knew this day was always a possibility, as is the same for all law enforcement families.

“His dad told me since he was three years old, you know, that was, that was what he wanted to do,” Hinton said.

Sherrer, who was called Weston by his parents, knew he wanted to be a police officer since he was a child. He even wrote it down in elementary school when his class was writing out their “Big Dreams.” His read, “My big dream is to be a policeman. I want to catch the villains and I’m willing to risk my life for the people in the United States.”

Hinton saw a bright future and career in law enforcement for Sherrer. It was job or career for some, but for Sherrer, it was his calling.

“Honestly, who knows?” Hinton said. “He could have been the next sheriff of Morrow County, you know, or a police chief somewhere. He was just that great of a guy.”

Hinton has plans to build a permanent memorial for Sherrer at the sheriff’s office but also wants to rename Route 42 in front of the office in his honor.

“The big thing is that we never forget his family, his fiancée, we’ll celebrate him, and we’ll hold him up high and honor him,” he said. “I’m going to look at getting 42 in front of the sheriff’s office renamed in honor of him. He’s up there looking down, smiling for sure.”