CHENGDU - China's officials including the country's police chief and residents in a southwest Tibetan region, mourned the death of a Tibetan police officer killed by gunmen resisting arrest last week, local media reported Monday.

A high-profile memorial was held Sunday for 29-year-old Pu Dongsheng at his home county of Luhuo, Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, in Sichuan, with a turnout of nearly 10,000 people, the Garze Daily reported. Minister of Public Security Meng Jianzhu also sent a letter of condolence.

After the ceremony, Pu's casket, draped with the red flag of the Communist Party of China, was escorted by soldiers and residents to the Luhuo Revolutionary Martyears Cemetery for burial.

Pu was killed in a gunfight during a hunt for criminal suspects last Thursday morning at a remote ranch in Luhuo, the daily said. Two of the three suspects who opened fire to resist arrest were killed while the other one was caught. Two of Pu's colleagues were wounded.

Police recovered three guns, 40 bullets, and a handful of explosives after the gun battle, the paper earlier reported. No other details were disclosed.

"Pu was brave and fearless in the fierce fight against the separatists. His sacrifice demonstrates his loyalty to the state and his love of the people," said Zhang Guanghua, deputy head of public security department of Sichuan, reading out a decision to honor Pu the title of "Excellent Communist Party Member" at the memorial service.

The official called on the prefecture's police to learn from Pu to decisively fight against separatists, to take the lead in these crucial times, and to safeguard the political stability and ethnic unity.