INDEPENDENCE —Hundreds turned out to support the family of Officer Blaize Madrid-Evans and the Independence Police Department Thursday night.
Madrid-Evans, 22, who was still in training after graduating from the police academy in July died after being shot by a wanted man who opened fire on officers and was also killed.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Madrid-Evan and and another officer went to a residence in Independence in response to a call to dispatch and were met by a man identified as 33-year-old Cody L. Harrison of Gladstone who fired a handgun at them.
Madrid-Evans was shot and the other officer returned fire killing Harrison. EMS transported the wounded officers to a local hospital where he died late Wednesday. Harrison was pronounced dead at the scene.
Harrison spent 15-years in prison in connection with a shooting, according to the Missouri Dept. of Corrections. At the time of Wednesday's incident, the department listed Harrison as out of custody and wanted.
Officer Madrid-Evans recently began his career with the Independence Police Department at the Kansas City Regional Police Academy on January 4, 2021, and graduated July 8, 2021.
After receiving his police commission, Officer Madrid-Evans entered IPD’s Field Training Officer (FTO) program and was still in training.