By Police1 Staff
WASHINGTON — More than 20,000 people gathered at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on Friday, May 13 to honor 619 fallen law enforcement officers during the 34th Candlelight Vigil.
The vigil, which is held annually during National Police Week by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), honored the officers by engraving their names on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. This year’s vigil was the largest event held in person in three years.
Law enforcement officers, family members and supporters gather each year to honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This year’s fallen officers, along with those who have fallen over years past, were mourned and remembered. One of those family members attending the vigil was Sandy Munday, sister of Fairfax County (Virginia) Detective Vicky Armel, who was killed in 2006 after a carjacker opened fire on her and Master Police Officer Michael Garbarino.
“I miss my sister, I mean it’s heartbreaking coming here but then you remember her and her sacrifice,” Munday told WUSA9.com. “It’s sad but it’s special. Crying on outside, happy on the inside, because she’s not forgotten. They say gone, but not forgotten, and they mean that.”
Watch the 34th Candlelight Vigil below.
Here are scenes from the vigil documented on Twitter from police departments and the NLEOMF.
https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/1525545577471045633?cxt=HHwWgsCjndfn6asqAAAA https://twitter.com/NLEOMF/status/1525531882770862081?cxt=HHwWgsC44cXK46sqAAAA https://twitter.com/SecretService/status/1525449731249475584?cxt=HHwWgMC4ndmcvqsqAAAA https://twitter.com/NYPDCeremonial/status/1525319333710372866?cxt=HHwWhIC97cf2gqsqAAAA https://twitter.com/CWexlerPERF/status/1525294173351555072?cxt=HHwWgMC9yYS-96oqAAAA https://twitter.com/NYPDPC/status/1525279771873230849?cxt=HHwWgoC-meH38KoqAAAA https://twitter.com/NLEOMF/status/1525276554569326592?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet https://twitter.com/CommissBratton/status/1525215767989477376