Hundreds lined the streets to welcome home a Brevard County Sheriff's deputy seriously hurt in the line of duty.

Agent Casey Smith has been recovering for weeks since being shot several times last month.

Members of the sheriff's office, Brevard Fire Rescue, and fellow officers from Cocoa, Rockledge and Orlando were all part of the escort.

And lining the streets were people like the DeVincents, who are longtime neighbors of the Smith family. Their kids went to school together.

"He's a loyal husband, wonderful father, great friend," said Jackie DeVincent.



Students from Kennedy Middle School welcome Dep. Casey Smith home. (Brevard Public Schools)

Hundreds of Kennedy Middle School students also waved signs as the escort made its way through Rockledge.

Smith was shot multiple times during a prostitution sting at a Port St. John home back on August 20.

He spent weeks in intensive care in Orlando while the community rallied around him and his family.

On Wednesday that support was shown yet again as he returned to the Space Coast.



(Brevard Co. Sheriff's Office)

Beth Hession is the wife of a Melbourne police officer. She brought her two children to the homecoming.

"Our law enforcement, they have families, they have wives, husbands. Everybody needs to support them," said Hession.

After the procession wrapped up, Sheriff Wayne Ivey spoke about the happy homecoming.

"To be home today means everything to him, but to see how he was welcomed home, means everything to us," Sheriff Ivey said.

Ivey added Smith still has a long road until he's fully recovered.

Smith was attempting to arrest Mary Derossett on Aug. 20, when investigators said her uncle, John Derossett, opened fire, shooting Smith.

John Derossett was arrested and charged with three counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.

About three weeks after the shooting, two Brevard County deputies were fired following allegations of prostitution solicitation, all stemming from the sting in which Smith was shot and seriously injured.



(Brevard County Sheriff's Office)