APPOMATTOX, Va. – Fellow troopers shared their memories of State Police Officer Lucas Dowell.
They say he was more than a co-worker, he was a person who made your day better.
The 28-year-old was killed in the line of duty Monday in Cumberland County while serving a search warrant.
Virginia State Police have placed a car at the area office in Appomattox, where Dowell also worked.
His cruiser is covered with flowers and notes at his home office in Amherst County.
Troopers were not ready to speak with us earlier this week but Thursday, some who worked close with Dowell opened up about who he was behind the badge.
Dowell's badge number, 876, is now worn close to his co-workers' hearts.
"If you saw his name next to yours on a shift schedule coming up, you just knew you were gonna have a good day," said Trooper Jon Barbour.
Lee started the academy with Dowell in 2014.
"He was very dedicated, very good at his job. He was the top of our class. He was the best at everything he did," Lee said.
Lee was home Monday night when he got a text message he'll never forget.
"He told me a Cumberland trooper had been shot in the head," Lee said. "I didn't sleep that night. I woke up the next morning and went down to the scene and it hit home."
News of Dowell's death has rocked the core of the department, especially for Barbour, who was also Dowell's roommate.
"I had just a taste of both family and work and you know, I guess I'm thankful and very humbled that I even had the opportunity to see him in those aspects," Barbour said.
All of the troopers had common stories about Dowell, saying he was a jokester and could always brighten up a room.
And now, having to say goodbye to 876 -- a co-worker, friend, and brother -- for the final time won't be easy.
"I can't imagine his parents. I take it hard enough by just being a co-worker. I say co-worker, he wasn't just a co-worker. He wasn't just a colleague or a friend. He was a brother and he will be missed," Lee said.
Dowell's funeral is scheduled for Saturday morning.