WASHINGTON, D.C. — The 37th Annual Candlelight Vigil will take place tonight, Tuesday, May 13, 2025, on the National Mall, between 4th and 7th Streets and Madison and Jefferson Drives. The vigil honors 345 law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty, with their names now engraved on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
This year’s ceremony includes the names of 148 officers who died in 2024 and 197 who were killed in earlier years but had not previously been recognized. Their sacrifices, once lost to history, have now been formally memorialized. A total of 24,412 officers are now commemorated on the memorial walls.
Among those being honored tonight are ten officers from North Carolina and two from South Carolina:
North Carolina:
-
Officer Joshua M. Eyer, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department
-
Officer Michael T. Horan, Greensboro Police Department
-
Deputy Christopher S. Johnson, Harnett County Sheriff’s Office
-
Deputy Michelle L. Quintero, Madison County Sheriff’s Office
-
Officer William A. Elliott, NC Department of Adult Correction
-
Officer Samuel A. Poloche, NC Department of Adult Correction
-
Officer Gabriel J. Torres, Raleigh Police Department
-
Officer Russell E.L. Jones, Pamlico County Sheriff’s Department
-
Officer William Freeman Craig, Wilmington Police Department (1918)
-
Officer Adrian D. Newton, Wilmington Police Department (1936)
South Carolina:
-
Officer Charlie Smith, Duncan Police Department (1939)
-
Officer Dustin Michael Beasley, North Augusta Department of Public Safety (2021)
During the vigil, each of the 345 names will be read aloud in a tribute to those who gave their lives in service to their communities. The public is encouraged to participate by observing a moment of silence and lighting a candle at 8:00 p.m. to remember these fallen officers.
The vigil will be live-streamed for those unable to attend in person.
