Billy Evans (police officer)

William Francis "Billy" Evans (February 18, 1980 – April 2, 2021)[1][2] was a United States Capitol Police officer, who died as a result of injuries sustained during the April 2021 United States Capitol car attack.[3]

William Francis Evans
Born(1980-02-18)February 18, 1980
North Adams, Massachusetts, United States
DiedApril 2, 2021(2021-04-02) (aged 41)
Washington, D.C., United States
EducationDrury High School
Police career
DepartmentUnited States Capitol Police
Service years18

Early life, education, and career

Born in North Adams, Massachusetts, the son of Howard and Janice Evans, he attended Drury High School and earned a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice from Western New England University before joining the Capitol Police force on March 7, 2003.[4] He served for 18 years with the United States Capitol Police, and was a member of the first responder unit.[5] Evans had two children, aged 7 and 9.[6]

U.S. Capitol attacks and death
See also: 2021 United States Capitol attack and April 2021 United States Capitol car attack

On April 2, 2021, while guarding the U.S. Capitol, he was critically injured in a vehicle-ramming attack, in which the lone assailant was shot and killed by Evans' fellow officers.[7] Evans later died in George Washington University Hospital[8] of blunt force head injuries.[9] He was the sixth Capitol Police officer to die in the line of duty since the force was created in 1828, and the second in 2021, after Brian Sicknick.[10][11]

Legacy
Officer William Evans lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda on April 13

Evans' body was driven away from the hospital with a police escort.[12] On April 6, 2021, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that Evans would lie in honor in the Capitol rotunda on April 13, 2021.[13] Evans is one of only six people who were not a public official or military leader to lie in honor in the Capitol.[14]

On August 5, 2021, Billy Evans, along with Capitol Police officers Brian Sicknick and Howard Liebengood, and Metropolitan Police officer Jeffrey L. Smith, was posthumously honored in a signing ceremony for a bill to award Congressional Gold Medals to Capitol Police and other January 6 responders. His name is noted in the text of the bill, and President Biden remarked on his death.[15][16]

He was survived by his wife and their two young children, a daughter and a son.[17][18][19]

References
  1. "WILLIAM EVANS Obituary (1980 – 2021) – Washington, MA – The Washington Post". www.legacy.com.
  2. Paris, Francesca (April 2, 2021). "Officer killed in Capitol attack was a native of North Adams". The Berkshire Eagle. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
  3. "Officer Billy Evans Is Honored At U.S. Capitol Where He Served And Was Killed". NPR.org. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  4. D'Angelo, Bob (April 3, 2021). "Who was William Evans, the police officer killed in US Capitol incident?". KIRO 7. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  5. Pittman, Yogananda (April 2, 2021). "Loss of USCP Officer William F. Evans". United States Capitol Police. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  6. "In wrenching photos, slain Capitol officer's children watch his memorial and wipe mother's tears". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  7. "U.S. Capitol Police officer dies after attacker rammed car into checkpoint; suspect also dead". NBC News. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  8. Gillespie, Tom (April 3, 2021). "US Capitol: Suspect shot dead and officer killed after car rams into police barricade". Sky News. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  9. Rashard Rose and Paul LeBlanc (April 8, 2021). "Capitol Police officer rammed by car died of blunt force head injuries, medical examiner says". CNN.
  10. Brice-Saddler, Michael; Natanson, Hannah; Tate, Julie (April 2, 2021). "U.S. Capitol Police Officer William 'Billy' Evans killed in the line of duty". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  11. Brockell, Gillian; Duggan, Paul (April 2, 2021). "The assault of a president's son led to the creation of the U.S. Capitol Police". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  12. Bensen, Jackie (April 2, 2021). "Police Procession for Capitol Police Officer William 'Billy' Evans Killed in Attack". NBC4 Washington. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  13. Freking, Kevin (April 6, 2021). "Capitol police officer to lie in honor at rotunda April 13". AP NEWS. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  14. Jackman, Tom (April 6, 2021). "Officer killed outside Capitol to lie in honor in Rotunda next week". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  15. Pelosi, Nancy (August 5, 2021). "H.R.3325 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): To award four congressional gold medals to the United States Capitol Police and those who protected the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021". www.congress.gov. Retrieved August 7, 2021.
  16. President Biden Delivers Remarks and Signs H.R. 3325, retrieved August 7, 2021
  17. Quinn, Melissa (April 13, 2021). "Fallen Capitol Police officer William "Billy" Evans honored as a "hero"". CBS News. Retrieved September 19, 2021. ... the president directed his comments to Evans' wife and two children, who looked on as their father's casket lay in the Capitol Rotunda, telling them losing a family member is "like losing a piece of your soul."
  18. FOX 5 DC Digital Team (April 13, 2021). "Wife, children of fallen USCP officer William 'Billy' Evans mourn loss at U.S. Capitol Rotunda". Fox 5 DC. Archived from the original on September 19, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021. The wife and children of fallen U.S. Capitol Police Officer William "Billy" Evans were seen Tuesday mourning the loss of their husband and father as Evans laid in honor at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
  19. Shammas, Brittany (April 13, 2021). "In wrenching photos, slain Capitol officer's children watch his memorial and wipe mother's tears". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 19, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021. the children of U.S. Capitol Police Officer William “Billy” Evans, with their mother ... on Tuesday during the memorial service for Evans. (Drew Angerer/Pool/Reuters)


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