PINEVILLE — As a fallen deputy sheriff and his K-9 partner were laid to rest Sunday, Bell County came to a virtual standstill.

Law enforcement officers from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky and from neighboring states, Tennessee and Virginia, filed into the Bell County High School gymnasium for the funeral service to honor Deputy Sheriff Sean Pursifull and his K-9 partner, King. A sea of uniform hats filled the inside arena, while outside, hundreds of law-enforcement vehicles awaited the funeral procession.

Deputy Pursifull and K-9 Deputy King died on Thursday, Jan. 10, as a result of a high-speed chase and subsequent car crash. The incident remains under investigation by the Kentucky State Police. The two juveniles involved in the chase and crash have been charged with murder. Both teens pleaded not guilty during their closed arraignment in Bell District Court on Friday, Jan. 11.

Deputy Pursifull was 31-years-old. He leaves behind a wife, two children, loving family members, friends, and a community that feels a great loss.

K-9 Deputy King was honored alongside Deputy Pursifull during the visitation. Later, the two were buried side-by-side in the Fuson Family Cemetery on Ky. Hwy. 92. Several K-9 officers were outside during the services, in honor of King.

“Support has come in from all over the state of Kentucky and even further than that,” said Funeral Director Jason Steele with the Arnett & Steele Funeral Home.

West Pineville Baptist Church Rev. David Peters officiated. He shared a story concerning Deputy Pursifull’s eager and optimistic attitude in his job. Peters said, when faced with a challenge, Deputy Pursifull met it head on and said, “Let’s go.”

“Given all the particulars, it seemed so meaningless and so unfortunate,” Peters stated. “Folks, it doesn’t have to end like that. We have a job to do. That is to make sure that this death is not meaningless but that we use it to make some changes and to begin to live our individual lives with the same attitude that Sean had. The attitude is simply, ‘Let’s go.’”

“He was a deputy with his whole heart,” Peters said of Deputy Pursifull. “He poured his whole heart into that uniform.”

During Pursifull’s and King’s time together, three short years, they made 69 arrests. The two frequented area schools, including Bell County High School. Principal Jeff Saylor said that their visits made a significant impact on the drug-abuse problem at Bell High, emphasizing what a great loss is felt with the deaths of Pursifull and King.

“We have a terrible drug problem and [Pursifull] was one of our soldiers that wanted to fight that problem,” Peters said. “He did his job. Not only that, but Sean was willing to pay the ultimate price.”

Rev. Bill Jenkins, the Chaplain for the Bell County Sheriff’s Department, officiated alongside Rev. Peters. Bell County Magistrate Andy Williams and his son, Kentucky State Police Detective Mitch Williams with Rev. Peters performed several songs to honor Pursifull.

Brandy Calvert is the Senior Staff Writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. Contact her via e-mail at bmurray@middlesborodailynews.com.