PFIA REMEMBERS

WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO OUR FALLEN HEROES

Police Officer Blaize Madrid-Evans Independence Police Department, MO 2-month veteran

Officer Blaize Madrid-Evans was shot and killed when he was dispatched to check for a wanted subject at a residence. As officers encountered the wanted subject, the man opened fire and critically wounded Officer Madrid-Evans. Other officers on the scene returned fire and killed the subject. Officer Madrid-Evans was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds later that evening. Officer Madrid-Evans had graduated from the academy only two months earlier and was still in field training. He is survived by his parents and fiancée.

Trooper James Monda New York State Police, NY 18-year veteran

Trooper James Monda drowned while conducting a training dive in the Great Sacandaga Lake in Northampton, New York. He failed to resurface after going into the water at a boat launch on Bunker Hill Road. He was working a marine patrol detail on the lake when the incident occurred. Trooper Monda had served with the New York State Police for 18 years and was assigned to SP Princetown. He is survived by his fiancée and parents.

Deputy Constable Kareem Atkins Harris County Constable’s Office, TX 2-year veteran

Deputy Constable Kareem Atkins was shot and killed from ambush while arresting a robbery suspect in the parking lot of a sports bar. He and two other deputy constables were working a secondary employment assignment at the restaurant when a patron informed them of a robbery in the parking lot. Deputy Atkins and one of the other deputies responded to the location and were taking a suspect into custody when another man opened fire on them from behind with an AR-15 rifle. Deputy Atkins was struck in the head and fatally wounded while the second deputy was shot in the back and seriously wounded. The third deputy heard the shots and was wounded as he rushed to assist the others. Deputy Atkins was transported to a Memorial Hermann Hospital where he was pronounced dead. A person of interest was taken into custody. Deputy Constable Atkins served with the Harris County Constable’s Office - Precinct 4 for 2-1/2 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.

Senior Police Officer William Jeffrey Houston Police Department, TX 30-year veteran

Senior Police Officer Bill Jeffrey was shot and killed while serving a warrant in Harris County. He and other officers had gone to an apartment to serve an arrest warrant as part of a high-level narcotics case. They made contact with a female subject who answered the door. As they spoke to her the wanted man emerged and opened fire without warning, striking Officer Jeffrey and another officer. Officers were able to return fire and killed the subject. The suspect used a Glock handgun that had been illegally converted to full automatic. Officer Jeffrey was a U.S Navy veteran and had served with the Houston Police Department for 30 years. He is survived by his wife and child. His wife had recently retired from the Houston Police Department.