WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two Indiana police officers killed while serving our community last year will have their names added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.
National Police Week, established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, is held every May. The week pays special recognition to law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Two officers from the Hoosier state who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2022 will be honored in the Nation’s Capital this week.
Noah Shahnavaz, of Elwood, is among the two officers from Indiana being honored.
Shahnavaz was conducting a traffic stop in Madison County when a suspect exited their car and opened fire, striking and killing Shahnavaz.
He was a five-year Army veteran and had been with the police department for 11 months.
The second fallen officer from Indiana being honored is Seara Burton, of Richmond.
Burton responded to assist other officers with a traffic stop in Richmond. She stopped a man riding a moped and used her K-9 partner to conduct an open-air sniff. Her K-9 indicated a possible presence of narcotics.
While officers were talking with the suspect, the driver of the moped opened fire, striking and killing Burton.
To kick-off the week of memorial services, the fallen officer’s names will be read at the National Mall during the 35th Annual Candlelight Vigil on Saturday evening.
“[The event] means full circle, especially for our survivor families back home,” Rick Snyder, Indiana FOP President, said. “They’ve had a year or more now of walking through local memorials and the grief process. But it all gets encapsulated in this moment here in the Nation’s Capital.”
Snyder says the memorial is just as much for the fallen officers as it is for their families.
“It also brings them full circle. This is the place where we lock in their name and fulfill our promise that they’ll never be forgotten. They will forever be on that wall,” Snyder said.
On Monday, the Annual National Peace Officer's Memorial Service will be held, as well as a stand watch in which honor guards stand watch for 10-minute intervals to honor the fallen officers.
40,000 guests are expected to be in Washington, D.C. throughout the week. 556 officers in total will be honored. There are currently 23,785 names engraved on the memorial.
WRTV will be live-streaming the Candlelight Vigil on our Facebook page.
For more information on National Police Week, click here.
