The family of slain Capitol Police officer William “Billy” Evans released a statement Tuesday honoring the late officer, saying his death “has left a gaping void in our lives that will never be filled.”
Evans was killed last week when a man rammed his car into a barrier surrounding the Capitol complex. Police fatally shot the suspect, while another officer was also injured in the attack.
“Billy was the best father, son, brother, and friend anyone could ever hope for,” the family said in a statement posted by the U.S. Capitol Police’s Twitter account.
Evans’s family discussed his love for his two children, Logan and Abigail, and his “most cherished moments” spent with them.
“He was always so eager to show how proud he was of everything they did. Any opportunity to spend time with his children brightened both their lives and his,” the statement reads.
“Their dad was their hero long before the tragic events of last week,” the family continued.
“His most cherished moments were those spent with them — building with Lego, having lightsaber duels, playing board games, doing arts and crafts, and recently finishing the Harry Potter series,” they added.
The statement was accompanied by a photo of Evans and his two children.
The family also noted Evans’s “open, welcoming personality that led him to make friends with anyone he met.”
They said he “relished bringing people together and making sure everyone felt included and had a good time,” adding that several people knew him as a “warm, funny, and caring person.”
The family also spoke about the pride Evans felt for being a Capitol Police officer, writing that the friendships he made with colleagues at the North Barricade were “one of the best parts of his job.”
“Billy was proud to be a United States Capitol Police Officer. His colleagues from the North Barricade were the people he spent so many hours with, and their friendship was one of the best parts of his job,” the statement reads.
“We hold them in our hearts, as we know they acutely share our grief,” the family continued.
On Friday, a man hit Evans and another officer with his car before driving into a barricade. The suspect, later identified as Noah Green, then exited his car while allegedly brandishing a knife and lunged at officers before being fatally shot.
Police said that Evans died during the altercation while the other officer was injured.
On Tuesday, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced that Evans will lie in honor in the Capitol Rotunda next week.
“The United States Congress joins all Americans in mourning the tragic death of one of our Capitol Police heroes, Officer Billy Evans,” Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement.
“In giving his life to protect our Capitol and our Country, Officer Evans became a martyr for our democracy,” they added. “On behalf of the entire Congress, we are profoundly grateful.”
Evans will be the second Capitol Police officer to lie in honor this year, after congressional leaders gave the same tribute to officer Brian Sicknick, who was killed in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.