Community gathers to pay final respects to ISP Trooper killed in crash

ST. JOSEPH, Ill. (WAND) — The funeral for an Illinois State Police trooper who was killed in a line of duty crash happened Sunday afternoon in Champaign at Faith United Methodist Church.

Trooper Corey Thompsen, 28, was hit by a driver on East Leverett Road while on duty. He was taken to Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana, but he died from his injuries that afternoon.

In a statement, Thompsen's family said that he has always been a hero to them and that they "could never begin to thank law enforcement or the thousands from our community who have reached out to us to express their love and support."

During a news conference the day after Thompsen was killed, ISP Director Brendan Kelly said, “This is a sad moment. We are hurting. Corey’s brothers and sisters in motor enforcement, Special Operation Group, Troop 7, patrol, the Zone, Vermilion Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and across ISP are hurting."

Thompsen's visitation took place Saturday at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

In lieu of flowers, his family requested that donations be made to a memorial fund set up as the Trooper Corey S. Thompsen Scholarship fund at any University of Illinois Credit Union branch. This will provide a scholarship to St. Joseph-Ogden High School students entering the field of criminal justice.

Thompsen was buried in Patterson Cemetery in St. Joseph.