Updates:

MIT Police Officer Sean Collier’s escort home, via Boston Fire Dept. – @BostonFire

“I am Sean Collier’s brother-in-law. I was reading some of the comments and it seems that some of you are interested to know what he was like as a human being, moreso than as a police officer.

I had hung out with Sean mainly at the big family gatherings (XMas, Thanksgiving, etc). He was that son that was kind of absent (seriously the kid worked nonstop), but really made his presence known when he was around. Here are some things I got to know about Sean.

He was funny as fuck. The quickest wit of my wife’s brothers. He was good at making fun of people in the best way and was also great at being self-deprecating. I wore an argyle sweater to Thanksgiving last year that he decided to make fun of so mercilessly, but he had me in stitches. We thought to get him back by saying XMas would be an “ugly sweater” party but have only him wear the ugly sweater. We didn’t do it, I wish we did.

He loved computer games. He played Starcraft a ton. He was disappointed by Starcraft 2. I don’t think he ever got over it.

He was so remarkably humble. More than I could ever have known. We have heard so many stories since his passing of lives he touched that we never knew about.

He believed in “community policing”. He knew the best way to police was to know your constituency as personally as possible and allow them to inform you of the problems in the community.

He was about to get his dream job of becoming a Somerville police officer. He wanted that job forever. Ever since he became a cop and put himself through training (he wasn’t sponsored by a department). He worked before the academy as an auxiliary police there and as the website and IT guy at the department.

He was a cad. When we were cleaning out his apartment, we took the carhardtt jacket he always wore home for his brother. When he checked the pockets…7 condoms. Ridiculous.

He was loved by all of us, and the hole he left can never be filled.

Edited to add: A few other things I forgot:

He got really into hiking a few months before he was killed. He had just gotten back from a trip to Newfoundland right before Easter. He seriously was so pumped about it. I didnt realize until after he was dead that he did the trip with a bunch of MIT students he became friendly with. He was that kind of cop.

He had just bought a real awesome ford f150 lariat edition less than a month ago. He showed that thing off so proudly. It was his pride and joy.

We use his hbo go account. And his username is pieceofshitcollier. He let his roommate name the account.

He did karaoke often at the local bar on MIT campus. I think it was the thirsty ear.”

“Sean Collier, the 26-year-old MIT police officer who sacrificed his life for others this morning.“

“He loved to play Kickball on Sunday afternoons with his team Kickhopopotamus.” “He was a member of my Waka Ivy league. Sean was a great guy and will be missed terribly by all of WAKA. Yes, he was on Kickhopopatamus. They were one of the strongest teams in our league for the last 6 years. Waka Ivy League has been my family since i first moved to Boston 6 years ago this August. I cannot even explain how angry i am that someone i know was murdered in the way he was. I can’t stop crying and shaking.” …for more about Sean, here.

“WAKA Boston,

As we mentioned earlier, are hearts are broken to learn of the loss of Sean Collier. Sean was an MIT police officer who was killed in the line of duty during the shootings that occurred in Boston last night. Many of us knew Sean as a WAKA MA-Ivy kickballer, who played on Sunday afternoons with his team Kickhopopotamus. Our thoughts and prayers go out him, his family, friend, teammates, and those who knew him.

As more information is released regarding memorial services we will pass that along as soon as available.”

It’s been a bad week for the whole world. Here’s The Onion’s response.

MIT set up a donation for the Collier Family.

“People of MIT have started an online donation site to help Collier’s family. http://web.mit.edu/tencate/www/ Earlier the site was used to buy breakfast for all the officers that have been working all night. After breakfast was successfully delivered, the site is now being used to collect donations for his family.”