City Council cancels meeting for police officer’s funeral

City Council leaders, in a rare move, have canceled the body’s weekly Thursday meeting, so lawmakers can attend the funeral of Philadelphia Police Officer Jaime Roman.

Roman, 31, was shot during a June traffic stop in Kensington, and he remained hospitalized until he died of his injuries Sept. 10. He never regained consciousness in the aftermath of the shooting, officials said.

“It was important to the City Council leadership to cancel this week’s stated meeting in Roman’s honor,” Council President Kenyatta Johnson said in a statement. “He died protecting our city and a grateful city mourns his passing.”

Lawmakers, who returned from summer recess earlier this month, will return to session next Thursday, Sept. 26.

Roman is survived by his wife, Jazmin Hernandez; 7-year-old daughter, Evelina; and 4-year-old son, Jaime, along with other family members and friends, according to an obituary.

“He will be fondly remembered for his honorable dedication to others, magnetic sense of humor and his deep devotion to serve,” the tribute reads. “Jaime was known for his ability to sense when others needed help. He consistently prioritized the needs and wellbeing of others.”

A public viewing is scheduled from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Givnish Funeral Home, located at 10975 Academy Road in the Far Northeast.

Residents can also pay their respects at a second viewing Thursday between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Center City. A funeral Mass will follow at noon, with seating reserved for relatives, friends, fellow law enforcement and dignitaries, according to the PPD.

Roman was shot in the neck June 22 while he and his partner waited for the Philadelphia Parking Authority to tow a vehicle they had pulled over on the 3600 block of F Street.

The alleged driver and shooter, Ramon Rodriguez-Vazquez, 36, was arrested a short time later. Court documents indicate he is currently being held without bail, after prosecutors upgraded his charges to include murder following Roman’s death.