Community honors slain Independence police officer as passing motorcade escorts body
About two dozen people stood along East Jackson Drive in Independence Saturday afternoon, curled over railings, sitting under trees, standing on the sidewalk — gathered to pay their respects to a 22-year-old Independence police officer killed in a shooting earlier this week.
The group congregated near Centerpoint Medical Center as the late Officer Blaize Madrid-Evans — who was killed Wednesday after an exchange of gun fire with a man sought for violating parole — was transported from the medical center to the Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“It’s totally unnecessary for one to have to lose their life like he did, and it’s a real shame because he’s less than half my age,” said Independence resident Tony Kriz, 61. “I’m here to just show my support and say I’m sorry that it happened.”
Madrid-Evans had only been on patrol for 18 days when he and his field training officer responded to a residence in the 2400 block of South Northern Boulevard on a tip that a suspect, later identified as 33-year-old Cody L. Harrison, was inside of the residence.
The officers were then met by the suspect who fired a handgun at them, striking Madrid-Evans, said Sgt. Andrew Bell, a spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which is leading the investigation. The other officer returned fire and shot Harrison.
Madrid-Evans died several hours later at the hospital. Harrison was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kriz, at the procession, said he doesn’t have any police officers in his family but anytime he stops at a convenience store and an officer is standing behind him, he offers to pay for what they are buying.
“You gotta support them,” Kriz said. “It’s only the right thing to do because they have a thankless job.”
Madrid-Evans was recently engaged and he had aspired to join the military after high school. He decided to be a police officer and graduated from the Kansas City Regional Police Academy in July, said Officer Jack Taylor, an Independence police spokesman.
Madrid-Evans’ family has received an outpouring of support from the community in the days since the officer’s death.
At Smithville High School’s football game Friday night, a brief remembrance was held for the former Smithville student. Three airplanes flew overhead. Independence police officers and the Missouri Highway Patrol held a banner with Madrid-Evans’ name written on it. A moment of silence was held.
And on Saturday, as the procession drove by right after 2 p.m., officers stood at attention. A giant American Flag was held by two firetrucks. A few people waved American flags. Others saluted. Everyone was silent.
Ronnie Crowder, who also attended the remembrance Saturday, said he showed up because an officer had once been there for him. In 2018 he suffered a stroke while driving along Truman Road. He went blind and crashed his car. A police officer pulled him out, he said.
“They do things that most of us wouldn’t,” Crowder, 69, said. “It’s sad that such a young man who was truly going to be a blessing to the world was taken from us.”
The Star’s Glenn E. Rice contributed to this report.
