Blaize Alyxander Madrid-Evans, 22, was killed in the line of duty on September 15, 2021, in Independence, Missouri. A recent graduate of the Kansas City Regional Police Academy, he had been with the Independence Police Department for about two months and was still in field training when he and his training officer responded around 11:30 a.m. to a call about a wanted person at a residence in the 2400 block of South Northern Boulevard.

A man at the residence opened fire with a handgun as the officers arrived; Madrid-Evans was struck and critically wounded. His field training officer returned fire and killed the shooter at the scene. Madrid-Evans was taken to a local hospital and died later that evening. The suspect was identified as 33-year-old Cody L. Harrison of Gladstone, who had been wanted on a warrant for failing to appear on charges including burglary and theft and had prior convictions for marijuana possession and tampering with a motor vehicle. The Missouri State Highway Patrol conducted the investigation.

Madrid-Evans was engaged to be married and had served nearly two years as an Emergency Responder with American Medical Response after graduating from Smithville High School in 2018. Does anyone have memories of Blaize or details about his service to share that might help remember him?