Funeral and procession honor for officer killed in the line of duty

By EMILY RITTMAN

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    INDEPENDENCE, Missouri (KCTV, KSMO) — One last radio call was broadcast as a symbolic End of Watch as a funeral and procession honored the service of 22-year-old police officer Blaize Madrid-Evans who was killed in the line duty.

A solemn voice could be heard calling Madrid-Evans’ badge number one last time, “Blaize was taken from us. In his last selfless act, he gave the gift of life to many others through organ donation.”

A full police escort with honors wound through the city of Independence Friday to the Mt. Washington Cemetery.

Family and friends say Madrid-Evans would never have considered himself a hero, but he was to many people. He wanted to become a police officer after serving as an AMR Emergency Responder to be a part of something bigger than himself.

For those who loved and lost Blaize Madrid-Evans, being forced to live without him seems unfair. His mother said he was raised to be courageous and kind. His sister misses him looking out for her and their family.

“It’s a hard day. It’s a very hard day,” Angela Weatherford said as she and another teacher held a sign showing support for Independence police officers as they waited for the procession to pass. “We are just honored to be here on this sad day,” Kim Sawyer said while holding onto the sign.

Strangers stood still to pay their respects to Madrid-Evans who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Sept. 15th. They came to show his family members that their loss is not lost on the community. “This is something close to my heart,” Tiffany Felix said about standing along the route. “I feel I have to do.”

The officer’s family took comfort in the memories they made. They spoke about finding peace in knowing Madrid-Evans was good to his family, his fellow officers, first responders, and community members who called 911 for help.

Madrid Evans’ End of Watch last radio call was a tribute to his Independence police department career that ended just 18 shifts after it began.

“Blaize was everything you would want an Independence officer to be,” the voice broadcasting his last radio call said. “He was the best of us. Rest easy now brother. We have the watch from here.”

Madrid-Evans family members say he grew up on a farm. He was loved by his mothers. He was adored by his grandparents who watched him pretend to chase bad guys on a John Deere Gator with a little cowboy hat bouncing on his head.

He also left an impression on his employers from his first to his last. Independence Police Chief Brad Halsey and Operations Manager for AMR Independence Paul Lininger spoke about how beloved and respected he was by his coworkers. Grant DelaCruz described going through the police Academy with Madrid-Evans by his side. Dan Ulledahl remembers Madrid-Evans working inside his restaurant Chop’s BBQ & Catering when Madrid-Evans was a young man.

“I just don’t want anybody to ever forget Blaize,” Ulledahl said. “I’ll never forget him.”

On Friday, the young man who dreamed of becoming better at his profession, was saluted by fellow police officers and his former AMR coworkers as bagpipes played and members of honor guards looked on.

Madrid-Evans family members say even though he was driven, they loved him for exactly who he already was.

His fiancée asked first responders to smile even though they are shattered. She asked them to live a little more like Blaize in their actions and in their hearts.

Madrid-Evans gave the gift of life through organ donation to another police officer. Springfield, Mo officer Mark Priebe was severely injured in the line of duty in 2020.

He learned this year he needed a new kidney. Madrid-Evans was a match for a kidney donation for Officer Priebe.

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