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Hundreds of people participated in a Sunday afternoon procession to honor slain U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jaime Zapata.

Zapata's body was moved in a special procession from the Buena Vista Funeral Home to the Brownsville Events Center on Sunday afternoon.

An ICE spokesperson said more than 200 federal agents and local law enforcement officers participated in a motorcade to accompany the body of the fallen agent.

The procession was a colorful one as dozens of fellow ICE and Border Patrol agents followed close behind the hearse carrying their fallen comrade’s body.

ICE officials said Zapata and fellow Special Agent Victor Avila were gunned down in Mexico Tuesday reportedly by drug cartel hit men.

Avila survived, but Zapata died of five gunshots to the abdomen, ICE said.

"At this moment since we actually got to see our fallen hero, best friend, it's a lot of emotions a lot of sadness and we miss him," a close family friend said.

Friends said when the Zapata family realized the huge impact their loved one had on the community; they decided to open the motorcade to the public.

"Jaime touched more lives than anyone can imagine – so (they did it) for people to pay their respects,” the friend said.

 The family is getting some comfort, friends said, from the support that federal agents, the community and the City of Brownsville is offering in these moments of grief.

"They are treating him like a hero - which he was,” a friend said. “I know the family and friends are very grateful for what the City of Brownsville has done. It makes them feel how great their son was which obviously they already knew, but it just reassures everything to them."

Zapata's close friends are hoping all that knew and loved him will pay their final respects to the man they loved and who they said died in the fight to secure this country's borders.

The public viewing will start Monday afternoon at the Brownsville Events Center located at Paredes Line Road.

A rosary will be held there at 7 p.m. Monday.