04.12.21

McConnell Pays Tribute to Officer Evans & Salutes USCP

‘We could not have had a kinder, more likable ambassador at this junction…or a more faithful protector to keep us safe. It will be with tremendous grief, but tremendous gratitude, that we will welcome Officer Evans to the Capitol a final time tomorrow, where he will lie in honor in the Rotunda.’

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the April 2, 2021 attack on the United States Capitol:

“On Good Friday, the United States Capitol Police were subjected to another violent attack.

“Once again, our uniformed heroes wound up in harm’s way. And Officer Billy Evans, a friend and favorite of many here on the Senate side, a faithful protector of the Capitol, was killed.

“Investigators are still assessing what drove the perpetrator to attempt this attack on the Capitol and whether domestic violent extremism played a role. He appears to have been captivated by the Nation of Islam, a racist, anti-Semitic, extreme group under the openly hateful leader Louis Farrakhan.

“His attack injured Officer Ken Shaver. And it stole away the life of Officer Evans from his children Logan and Abigail; his mother Janice; his entire family; and all his friends and colleagues — decades too soon.

“Officer Evans was famous within the Senate for his friendly spirit and easy manner. He was the first face that many would see on their way into work here in the Capitol.

“His particular post often meant he was literally the first line of defense of the Congress — the interface between these grounds and the outside world. We could not have had a kinder, more likable ambassador at this junction…or a more faithful protector to keep us safe.

“It will be with tremendous grief, but tremendous gratitude, that we will welcome Officer Evans to the Capitol a final time tomorrow, where he will lie in honor in the Rotunda.

“I think I speak for the entire the Senate when I salute all our USCP officers for the heroism, courage, and resilience they displayed the Friday before last… and which they display every day. The Senate and the nation are profoundly grateful for your selfless service.”

Related Issues: Law Enforcement, Tributes