Two-Day Vigil At State Capitol Honors Police Officers Killed In The Line Of Duty

AUSTIN, TX — A statewide observance began Sunday dubbed the Texas Peace Officer Memorial and Candlelight Vigil designed to honor Texas peace officer who have died in the line of duty.

The first night of the vigil took place on Sunday at 7:30 p.m. on the north side of the state Capitol in front of the Texas Peace Officers Memorial. A second even is scheduled on Monday (May 1) at 10:30 a.m., when honor guards, pipe/drum bands and motorcycle officers from across the state form on the Congress Avenue Bridge as they march to the south steps of the Capitol..

At 11 am., the memorial is scheduled to begin on the south steps. Police honors will be rendered as well a rifle volley, the playing of Taps, a rider-less horse and a flyover, police said. Gov. Greg Abbot and Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office George P. Bush are scheduled to speak at the event.

The vigil is especially resonant emotionally in Austin, where the city's finest grieved the recent death of Senior Police Officer Amir Abdul-Khaliq, killed after being hit by a vehicle as he guided a funeral procession last year. The fallen officer will be among those honored as the names of 22 officers will be engraved on the Texas Peace Officers Memorial on the north side of the Texas State Capitol.

See also: Austin, Area Police Mourn Death Of Officer Killed While Guiding Funeral Procession

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