Riverside police Officer Michael Crain, killed Thursday when he and a trainee officer were ambushed while on patrol, was a former Marine remembered for his hard work and giving nature.
Authorities believe Crain was killed by former Los Angeles police Officer Christopher Dorner, a suspect in three killings who remained at large Sunday.
A man who identified himself as a Crain family friend stood smoking a cigarette on Sunday outside of the Redlands home of the officer's parents. He said the family was not ready to speak to the media about their son, and he did not want to give his name.
Crain, an 11-year veteran of the Riverside police force, was born in Anaheim on April 9, 1978, the oldest of three children.
Raised in Riverside, he graduated in 1996 from Redlands High School, where he played tight end for the Terriers under the direction of Coach Jim Walker.
Walker said he rushed to the family as soon as he learned of Crain's death.
"Devastated," Walker said of the family. "Children. It just doesn't make sense sometimes."
Crain, Walker recalled, was a "true Terrier guy."
"He wasn't a starter, but (he) never missed a practice," Walker said. "He was there every day and knew his role. He wanted to be part of something that was bigger than him.
"He constantly gave and gave. That is why he chose the profession he went into. There aren't enough of those guys around anymore."
Ken Morse, the
Terriers' running backs coach before becoming the athletic director at Redlands High School, said Sunday that Crain was an example of what a high school athlete should be."He was one of those athletes that did everything you asked of him," Morse said. "He was a hard-working guy. He wasn't a superstar, but he was the kind of player every team needs."
After graduation, Crain attended Crafton Hills College in Yucaipa for a year before enlisting in the Marine Corps.
He
Michael Crain senior portrait, RHS, 1996.
served two deployment tours in Kuwait as a rifleman in the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. He served as a squad leader and was promoted to sergeant.Later, he was stationed at Camp Pendleton near Oceanside, where he taught "Military Operations in Urban Terrain."
Crain was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with one star, a Certificate of Commendation and the Rifle Marksmanship Badge.
After Crain was honorably discharged, he graduated from the Riverside County Sheriff's Academy and was sworn into the Riverside Police Department on Aug. 24, 2001.
After graduating from the department's Field Training Program, Crain was assigned to patrol duty. He was later assigned to the Special Weapons and Tactics team.
Outside of work, Crain enjoyed spending time with his wife, attending his 4-year-old daughter's dance recitals and coaching his 10-year-old son's baseball team.
He also liked to work on restoring his 1970 Chevrolet Nova.
Crain also leaves behind a brother and a sister.
Funeral services are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at The Grove Community Church, 19900 Grove Community Drive, Riverside.
Donations can be made to the Riverside Police Officers' Association's "Officer and Family Assistance Fund" in Crain's name to 1965 Chicago Ave., Suite B, Riverside.
kristina.hernandez@inlandnewspapers.com, 909-259-9321, @TheFactsKris
ed.castro@inlandnewspapers.com, 909-259-9320, @TheFactsEd
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