(NewsNation) — With the start of National Police Week on Monday, many are in Washington D.C. to honor those who served and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Among those at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial remembering fallen loved ones was Lynn Harris, Riverside, California, who lost her son a year ago.
She told NewsNation that she feels camaraderie with other families mourning in the same way she is.
“It’s bittersweet,” Harris said. “It’s nice to see that everybody comes together, but it’s sad why we’re all here: for various husbands, children, brothers, sisters. Deputy Brett Harris was more than just a deputy. He was my son. And I loved him. And I’ll miss him forever.”
This comes after a 23-year-old police officer from Euclid, Ohio, Jacob Derbin, was shot and killed in an ambush attack. His suspected shooter, identified as Deshawn Anthony Vaughn, was killed after being caught during a statewide manhunt, authorities said Sunday.
Derbin, a military veteran, had served on the police force for less than two years.
The Euclid Police Department said it is devastated by the loss.
“This is a senseless tragedy that did not need to happen. Our sympathies and our deepest condolences go out to Officer Durbin, his family, all of our officers in the Euclid Police Department family,” said Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail.
According to the Fraternal Order of Police, 21 officers have been killed in the line of duty so far this year. That matches the number seen during the same period in 2023 but is up slightly from 2022.
There are more than 23,000 names on the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. On Monday, organizers will begin the process of adding nearly 300 more. The names of 118 officers killed in the line of duty last year will be added to the memorial, along with others that date back more than 200 years.
In addition, ceremonies are going on all week, starting with a Monday evening vigil, which officers and agencies from all around the country are expected to attend. Attorney General Merrick Garland, the top law enforcement officer in the nation, is set to read the names of around 200 Navy officers who lost their lives in just the last couple of years.
NewsNation correspondent Kelsey Kernstine contributed to this report.