Saying goodbye to our hero: Officer McKeithen’s visitation service

Today the Coast buried one of our brothers in blue, Biloxi Police Officer Robert McKeithen, a 24 year veteran law enforcement officer who was gunned down in the parking lot of police headquarters last Sunday night.

It was an emotional day as the community said their final goodbyes to Officer Robert McKeithen. Thousands gathered with tears in their eyes and plenty of warm embraces to go around. McKeithen’s stepchildren spoke and remembered him as someone who was always willing to go the extra mile. “Robert was more of like a second father to us than a step-dad. He treated us like we were his own. He would brag about our achievements and he would help without question.”

Officer McKeithen’s work family also had somber words to say about their friend. It was clear that this tragedy hit Biloxi police officers hard as Police Chief John Miller said an emotional goodbye to Robert McKeithen. “Robert was a proud man. He was proud of his family, proud of his profession, and proud of appearances. He kept a shine on those boots and that uniform had to be just so.”

Mayor Andrew ‘FoFo’ Gilich also paid a heartfelt tribute to the man who gave his all to the City of Biloxi. “From all accounts Robert McKeithen was the epitome of what you would want in a police officer and as his family said he was living the dream.”

Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves spoke during the service and thanked not only Officer McKeithen for his service, but all of the men and women in uniform. “His untimely death did show that there is evil in the world, but the way in which he lived his life also showed that there are men and women throughout this state that get up every day and do the right thing.”