Private funerals held for 8-year-old Boston bombing victim and slain MIT police officer

Police officers march in formation as they enter St. Patrick's Church, in Stoneham, Mass., before a funeral Mass for Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer Sean Collier Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Collier was fatally shot on the MIT campus Thursday, April 18, 2013. Authorities allege that the Boston Marathon bombing suspects were responsible. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) (The Associated Press)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officers march as they depart St. Patrick's Church in Stoneham, Mass., following a funeral Mass for MIT police officer Sean Collier, Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Collier was fatally shot on the MIT campus Thursday, April 18, 2013. Authorities allege that the Boston Marathon bombing suspects were responsible. Law enforcement official at right is unidentified. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) (The Associated Press)

FILE - This undated photo provided by Bill Richard shows his son, Martin Richard, in Boston. Martin Richard, 8, was the youngest of three people killed in the explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon Monday, April 15, 2013. A private funeral Mass, followed by burial, was held with immediate family attending Tuesday, April 23, 2013, for Martin Richard. No other details were provided.(AP Photo/Bill Richard) (The Associated Press)

Funerals were held Tuesday for the 8-year-old boy killed in the Boston Marathon bombing and the college police officer authorities say was shot by the suspects.

A private funeral Mass was held in the morning for young Martin Richard, followed by his burial, a family statement said. Only immediate family members attended. A funeral was also held for Massachusetts Institute of Technology police Officer Sean Collier, fatally shot three days after the bombing.

"The outpouring of love and support over the last week has been tremendous," the Richards' statement said. "This has been the most difficult week of our lives and we appreciate that our friends and family have given us space to grieve and heal."

The family, from Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, said it would hold a public memorial service in the coming weeks to celebrate Martin's life.

The boy was among three people killed when two bombs exploded at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on April 15. His mother and 6-year-old sister were among the more than 260 others wounded.

Krystle Campbell, 29, of Medford, and Lu Lingzi, a 23-year-old Boston University graduate student from China, also died in the attack. On Monday, Campbell's funeral was at St. Joseph Church in Medford, Mass., and a memorial for Lu took place on Boston University's campus hours later.

On Wednesday, MIT will hold a memorial service for Collier. Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to attend.

MIT students and thousands of law enforcement officers also are expected to attend, but the university says the event isn't open to the public.