Valley bikers ride in the rain to honor Hartzell, other fallen officers

By KATIE SEMINARA

YOUNGSTOWN — Bikers always support bikers.

No matter what the cause, bikers say they always support one another, and that’s just what was going on at the sixth annual Fallen Officer Motorcycle Ride and Rally downtown Sunday.

“This event is a tribute to all my fallen comrades,” said Blue Knights President Bob Chaibi.

“We do this every year with representatives from all the police departments in the Valley,” he said.

Despite a rainy morning, the Blue Knights, a law enforcement biker club, along with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 28 still sponsored the ride across the Valley. It lasted three hours.

Fallen Officer Motorcycle Ride was created to remember Youngstown Police Officer Michael Hartzell as well as other officers from the area killed in the line of duty. Hartzell was shot and killed in an attack on West Federal Street near Powers Auditorium on April 29, 2003.

Proceeds from the ride help fund the Mike Hartzell Scholarship for students attending Youngstown State University.