SEASIDE, Ore- From the moment we arrived in Seaside early Saturday morning it was clear, this tight-knit community is hurting.

With tears in her eyes and pain on her heart, Leanne Dague described what she was feeling.

"Hurt, loss. It's just, I can't believe we've actually lost a police officer in Seaside. This is a small town and community town. I don't know, I'm still in shock," Dague said.

She wasn't alone. The entire town seemed to echo that feeling of disbelief. No one ever expected this tourist destination, known for it's quaint candy shops and family-friendly beaches, to experience something like this.

Sergeant Jason Goodding was shot right in the heart of downtown, right in front of a popular restaurant. It didn't take long for news to spread. All morning long people dropped off flowers at a memorial in his honor.

Shellie Dennis was one of the first people to add flowers to that memorial.

"It's just sadness and (I'm) heartbroken. We lost a great member of our community. Not just a police officer but a coach, a husband, a hero. Somebody to look up to for our kids. Just a tragedy," Dennis said.

Dennis' brother is a firefighter, so she's painfully aware of the danger first responders like Sergeant Goodding put themselves in, to keep us safe.

But the grief doesn't stop with everyday citizens.

"Jason was a good man. He was an extraordinarily good police officer," Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin said.

He struggled to fight back tears as he explained his unique relationship with the fallen officer.

"He's my neighbor. He's got two beautiful little daughters. He's going to be sorely missed. He is the kind of guy that everyone would have wanted to be their neighbor, their friend, and their co- worker," Bergin said.

Now the attention turns to Goodding's widow and his two young girls, everyone I spoke to vowed they won't be going through this alone.

"We will respond. We are very tight-knit. There will be memorials and support, all kinds of support. We are one big family," Dennis said.

Goodding's family has organized a vigil for 7 p.m. on Sunday, February 7 at Broadway Field in Seaside. Donations to the family can be made here.

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