KOKOMO, Ind. -- Hundreds of kids in Howard County returned to school Monday to find a familiar face missing.
Howard County Sheriff's Deputy Carl Koontz worked as a school resource officer for Northwestern Schools.
Koontz was killed Sunday while attempting to serve a warrant. The suspect, Evan Dorsey, took his own life after shooting Koontz and another officer, Sgt. Jordan Buckley.
CLICK THE PHOTO BELOW TO SEE THE MEMORIAL GALLERY FOR DEPUTY KOONTZ
MORE | Two Howard County deputies shot, one fatally, while serving warrant | Who is Evan Dorsey? Suspect in Koontz killing
While a procession was carrying Koontz's body from Indianapolis to Kokomo, students, faculty and staff at Northwestern Schools were finding their own ways to mourn his loss.
MORE | Procession escorts Deputy Koontz to Kokomo | 'Deputy Carl Koontz was one of our family'
At Northwestern Elementary, school counselor Kelsey Schueler said students were stopping by to sort out their thoughts.
"I've had a few whose parents are law enforcement, and this brings up fears this could happen to their parents," she said. "Right now, at that age, I don't know if they make that connection. They think it's sad, but they're not 100 percent in reality it happened."
At the high school, though, the guidance counselor said dozens of students were asking for her services.
"Lots of tears," said Northwestern High School Guidance Director Geana Moore. "We've seen anger. Just about every emotion you can imagine, we've seen today."
At the high school, prayer circles were held during lunch, with hundreds of students involved. In between the tears, students came up with ways to give back. The idea of a scholarship in Koontz's name was floated, and members of both the prom committee and another student organization want proceeds from their events to go to his family.
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