Onondaga County Sheriff's Lt. Michael Hoosock spent a career giving back to the Central New York community — as a deputy for the last 17 years and as a longtime volunteer firefighter and paramedic — and on Monday, that community filled the Exposition Center at the New York State Fairgrounds to pay tribute to him a week after he died in the line of duty. He was 37.

"While we all saw him excel at his career, he made sure that I knew coming home was all that mattered," his wife Caitlin said in a eulogy Monday.

Hoosock died Sunday, April 14, when he was called to investigate a suspicious vehicle that ended up parked at a home in a quiet neighborhood of Salina. A 33-year-old man armed with an AR-15 and 40-round clip shot Hoosock, who had taken a position in the yard of a neighbor, according to police. Syracuse police officer Michael Jensen, 29, also died at the scene, and was laid to rest Saturday in Rome. The gunmen was killed by return fire, police said. 

A longtime law enforcement officer and volunteer firefighter, Hoosock had roots in the community. He was a lifelong resident of Onondaga County, having been born in the town of Onondaga. At the time of his death, "Hootch," as he was affectionately known, resided in Clay with his wife and three young children. 

“He wasn’t in it for the awards, he did it for the joy of doing the job. He wasn’t in it for the highs and the lows, or the wins and the losses," Caitlin Hoosock said. "He was a humble, down to earth guy.”

She said that despite the enormous amount of time he committed to the community, her husband excelled at being a father.

“For those who wondered what kind of dad he was, he was the fun dad. The tickle monster at bedtime, the PJ’s all day while mom was at work, the let's get ice cream for dinner and planning for every fun adventure we can go on,” she said.

Hoosock became drawn to fire department life as a child. Over the past 20 years, he served as a firefighter and paramedic at multiple departments and climbed the ranks of the Moyers Corners Fire Department to deputy chief.

Described as a pillar of the community, Hoosock joined the Onondaga County sheriff's staff in 2007 and was promoted to lieutenant last year. He was named Deputy of the Year in 2012, and received a medal for valor in 2020 for helping to apprehend a person who had shot two people. 

Hoosock also trained as a bomb squad commander and medic. Those who knew him say he served as a selfless mentor and an instructor to many in the area's public safety community throughout his time in the sheriff's department.

Thousands of law enforcement members attended Monday's service to honor Hoosock’s life. The brother and sisterhood they shared couldn’t have been more clear.

“We all work together ambulance, fire, EMS, police and we stick together," firefighter Mark Burger said. "We support each other and part of that support is being here when people need you most.”

Faith and family were huge parts of life for Hoosock, who attended high school at Bishop Grimes. 

"Everything he did, he did with a love for the job and only declined work or volunteer events for commitments with family," his obituary reads.

"The truth that brings peace to our hearts is we're not alone in this. ... The community loves you. The brethren love you. We're here to support you. We have your back," said Rev. Christopher Celentano, the pastor of St. Rose of Lima Church in North Syracuse, who grew up with Hoosock.

Hoosock's death marked the first line-of-duty death in the Onondaga County Sheriff's Department since 2003, when Deputy Glenn Searles was struck by a mini-van on Interstate 481 in DeWitt while assisting a stranded motorist.

Hoosock is survived by his wife, three children, parents, sister and many other family and friends.

"You constantly brought out the best in all of us," his wife said Monday. "I will be sure that you live on in this room by encouraging your 'mini-mes' to be the best part of you that they have already started to become, and I will also hope we can all strive to be the kind of selfless, inspiring, genuine and charismatic person that Hootch was."

He was to be buried in a private ceremony at Assumption Cemetery, also in Syracuse.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Michael’s name may be made to the Bomb Technician Memorial Foundation, 600 Boulevard S SW, Huntsville, AL 35802 or Helping Hounds Dog Rescue, 7268 Caswell Ave., North Syracuse, NY 13212.