Family, friends, and colleagues of Capt. Robert Melton gathered Wednesday evening on the plaza outside Kansas City, Kansas, City Hall to remember the 16-year veteran of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. Melton was killed while pursuing a suspect on Tuesday.
Under a row of flags flying at half staff, there was a prayer, some music and words of condolence for Melton's family from Chief Terry Ziegler. Ziegler and his force are still grieving the death of another fallen officer, Det. Brad Lancaster, who was killed in May.
Patrol Officer Cameron Morgan said the short ceremony was hard on everyone.
"I could see it was very difficult for (Melton's) son," Morgan said. "But really, it's just hard. It means a lot to us that so many people from the community come out and show their support at times like this."
Indeed, as the sun set people crowded onto the plaza to visit with officers, shake hands or give a hug. There were tears and there was laughter. It seemed like the recent tension and violence between police and communities across the nation had been forgotten, at least for this evening.
