The funeral for Deputy Roger Rice was held at First Baptist Church in Laurens. 

Investigators said Deputy Rice was killed during a shootout with a suspect in Clinton.

On Saturday evening, hundreds of people gathered for the visitation. Family members, friends and fellow officers from across the Upstate attended.

Deputy Christy Johnson worked with Rice at the jail before they transitioned to street patrol. At the visitation, Deputy Johnson said, "It's really hard to lose somebody that you're close to. It's hard to lose somebody that you work with."

Deputy Johnson said Deputy Rice wanted to be in the community helping people. She said the law enforcement community is a family.

"My whole thing is, they say that that blue line is thin, but look around you. It's thick. We all stick together," Deputy Johnson said.

Many people who had never met Deputy Rice attended the visitation to pay their last respects, including members of Laurens County's Rolling Thunder chapter.

"It's hard when it hits this close to home. You read about it, but when it's in your house, it's hard. Everybody feels it," said Mike Cromer of Rolling Thunder.

Deputy Rice is survived by his wife and two children.

Donations can be made to the Roger Rice Memorial Fund at any Capital Bank location.

The man accused of killing his girlfriend and deputy Rice has been released from the hospital and has appeared before a judge.

Bennie Ray Brown Jr. was still in a wheelchair as he was arraigned Sunday morning.

The 39-year-old Brown on Saturday was released from the hospital, where he was being treated for a gunshot wound to the leg.

Prosecutors are considering if they will seek the death penalty.