SAN DIEGO (FOX 5\/KUSI) \u2014 Hundreds of people lined the streets of San Diego on Thursday morning to honor Officer Lauren Craven, who was killed in the line of duty earlier this week.<\/p>\n
The somber procession made its way through the city to El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley, as residents stood silently on sidewalks and overpasses, many holding flags or placing hands over their hearts.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust feel so heartbroken, you know, for the loss,\u201d said Maria Martinez, one of many community members who gathered to pay their respects.<\/p>\n
Craven, 25, was a La Mesa police officer who died Monday night while trying to help victims of a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 8. Authorities say she stopped to render aid when another car drove into the scene, fatally striking her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re not even highway patrol, and you stopped and gave your life for something you didn\u2019t even have to,\u201d said family friend Paula Griswold. \u201cThat\u2019s who she was.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friends and colleagues described Craven as compassionate, determined and dedicated to her dream of serving others.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe was the sweetest person ever \u2014 she would always be there for you,\u201d said Armando Araujo, who attended the police academy with her. \u201cShe got her dream of becoming a police officer.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her father, David Craven, said his daughter decided early in college that she wanted to make a difference after a personal experience with law enforcement.<\/p>\n
\u201cLauren decided right then and there that she wanted to become a good cop,\u201d he said. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t easy, but she refused to fail.\u201d<\/p>\n
Craven joined the La Mesa Police Department in February 2024. Her father said she found confidence and happiness in her work, inspiring everyone around her.<\/p>\n
Funeral arrangements are still being finalized, but David Craven said the family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of support from the community and law enforcement agencies across the region.<\/p>\n
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