TWINSBURG, Ohio -- Fellow police officers and childhood friends spoke during the funeral at Mount Zion Baptist Church for a slain Twinsburg police officer Friday morning.

About 2,500 people attended the service that paid memory to a police officer, father, husband, friend and businessman.

Twinsburg Police Chief Christopher Noga said that Officer Joshua Miktarian appeared "complete" after the birth of his 3-month-old daughter, Thea.

Noga, who described himself as a "newbie" with Miktarian, 33, to the Twinsburg Police Department, said the two of them shared an interest in playing the guitar and he was honored when Miktarian gave him an uncut version of his band's CD. He was a guitarist for Barium.

Noga added that as soon as Miktarian's daughter was born, he cleared his desk of everything and added several framed photos of his newborn. Miktarian's wife, Holly, is a police officer in Oakwood Village.

Noga said that he joked with Miktarian when seeing his daughter's hair.

"Now I know where all your hair went," he said.

Miktarian's best friend, Jason Robinson, said the two of them often discussed Jesus and the Bible as children, and he believes that happened so that he could stand at Miktarian's funeral to talk about his faith.

Robinson, who has a church in Kent, said that Miktarian was also a jokester. He shared a story about Miktarian coming to his church wearing a hazmat suit, saying there was an anthrax threat.

He said that Miktarian couldn't maintain his composure and started to laugh.

Others said he loved his family, dogs, "loud" music and pizza. He owned a Gionino's Pizza franchise in Sagamore Hills Township.

The most poignant words may have come from Miktarian himself as his friend, Dave Fenske, read what Miktarian wrote about his ambitions as a high school senior.

He wrote that he wanted to do his part in the search for racial harmony and "to help civilization by becoming the best law enforcement officer this side of the Mississippi."

Fenske said, "You did it, Josh."

About 150 K-9 officers attended the funeral. The dogs will participate in a ceremony at the cemetery. Miktarian's partner, Bajio, was allowed inside the church for the service.

Residents Line Streets

Many residents lined the streets along the procession to the funeral.

Miktarian is the first member of the Twinsburg Police Department killed in the line of duty.

Police said Miktarian was shot in the head four times during a traffic stop early Sunday.

Ashford Thompson, 23, is charged with aggravated murder and is being held on $5 million bond.