By Nicholas Brown
Staff Writer

Above, Briggs’ hearse enters the MerchantsAuto.com Stadium. Left, officer Briggs’ bicycle was mounted on the back of a police cruiser during the procession. Briggs was on bicycle patrol at the corner of Lake Avenue and Lincoln Street on Oct. 16 when he was shot. (The Hooksett Banner/Bruce Preston)

The death of a man who grew up in Epsom, and who died after being shot in the line of duty with Manchester police, brought hundreds of mourners to Manchester on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Friends and family were joined by a sea of uniformed police officers from the state and around the country at the funeral of Michael Briggs, 35, who was remembered not only as a hero, but as a family man dedicated to a life of service.

Briggs died Tuesday, Oct. 17, a day after being shot in the head while nearing the end of his bicycle patrol shift in Manchester’s inner city.

The funeral was followed by a motorcade which led Briggs’ body through Epsom to his private family burial at Epsom’s New Rye Cemetery.

Briggs was well known around Epsom, his hometown. He was a 1990 Pembroke Academy graduate. As a young man, he worked various labor jobs around town.

Briggs joined the Epsom Police Department part time from 1996 to 2001. He also served with the volunteer Epsom Fire Department. Briggs was awarded numerous honors for his service in the Marines, and has been called a hero by his colleagues at the Manchester Police Department.

Two Epsom police officers, including Briggs’ friend Police Chief Wayne Preve, served as pallbearers during Briggs’ funeral.

Briggs was himself a pallbearer for the last New Hampshire police officer killed in the line of duty, Epsom’s Jeremy Charron, in 1997.

Briggs’ death came after responding to a domestic disturbance call. Police have charged Michael “Stix” Addison, 26, with the murder. Attorney General Kelly Ayotte said she plans to pursue a capital murder charge carrying the death penalty.

Briggs leaves behind his wife, Laura, and two sons, Brian, 11, and Mitchell, 8.