SMITHVILLE, Mo. — A slain Independence police officer will be honored Friday evening.

Blaize Madrid-Evans will be inducted into the Smithville School District’s Distinguished Alumni Wall of Fame. The ceremony will take place at halftime of the varsity basketball game.

The 22-year-old was shot and killed while responding to a call on September 15. He died just two months after graduating from the police academy.

He grew up in North Kansas City and graduated from Smithville High School in 2018. While in high school Madrid-Evans was an active member in outreach and service projects. After high school, he joined American Medical Response where he worked as an emergency responder for two years.

Madrid-Evans was an organ donor and donated a kidney to a fellow officer in Springfield who was paralyzed in the line of duty.

The Smithville Education Foundation says Madrid-Evans exemplifies the Wall of Fame program. It recognizes and honors district graduates who serve as an inspiration to future generations.