By Laura Di Mascio

March 12/10

Toronto- Thousands of police officers from across North America will gather today in Wingham, Ont. to honour a fallen comrade.

Along with Premier Dalton McGuinty and Ontario NDP Leader Andrea Horwath, they'll attend the funeral of Ontario Provincial Police Constable Vu Pham, who was shot and killed last Monday after he pulled over a pick-up truck on a rural road.

Pham, who was 37, leaves a wife and three boys -- aged seven, 10, and 12.

The man accused of shooting Pham, 70-year-old Fred Preston, died last night in a London hospital after he was removed from life support.

Preston had been in critical condition since Monday, when he was involved in the shootout with police.

He was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Pham.

Tim Poole, chief of police at Wingham Police Service, said the funeral procession will leave the funeral home at 12:30p.m. and the service will begin at 1p.m.

Officers are expected to line the road from the North Huron Wescast Community Complex – where the funeral will take place – and make its way across the town of Wingham.

It’s typical to have such a grand service when a fellow police officer dies, said Poole, who knew Pham personally and worked with him occasionally.

“He was an outstanding great guy, very family-oriented,” he said. “It’s rotten. Everyone is very sombre and depressed but we’re working together and getting on with life. It is tough on everybody.”

OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino, who will speak briefly at the funeral, also said this is a difficult time for everyone.

"The OPP is like one large family and the loss of Provincial Constable Pham diminishes us all. We will make a good showing to support his family and friends and honour a hero who died in the line of duty," said Fantino in an OPP news release.

Poole said the Wingham Police Service is getting a lot of assistance from other police services who are providing them with officers so everyone can attend the funeral.

“We’re getting great support and we’re going to move on and keep on doing the job,” he said.

Pham was a member of the OPP for 15 years. As Deacon in his church and minor hockey coach, he was well known in his community. At work, Pham was “admired for his quiet competence, willingness to help a fellow officer and his common sense approach to policing,” according to the press release.

Pham's funeral marks the second time in one week that a police officer is laid to rest in Ontario.  
Thousands gathered in Mississauga, Ont. on Tuesday, to attend the funeral of Peel police Const. Artem Ochakovsky.  
The officer, who was 36, died in a car crash in Brampton, Ont., after his car collided with another vehicle and crashed into a lamppost late at night on Mar. 1.