Memorial service remembers police officer a year later
It’s been a year since White Mountain Apache Office David Kellywood was killed in the line of duty, and in honor of his memory, the White Mountain Apache Tribe has declared Feb. 17 to be Officer David Kellywood Memorial Day.
White Mountain Apache Chairwoman Gwendena Lee-Gatewood signed the declaration on Monday.
“The Tribe is forever grateful for the service of the late Office Kellywood and for the ultimate sacrifice he made in the line of duty as well as the continued service of our law enforcement officers who carry forward the legacy of Office Kellywood,” the declaration states.
“Today is the day our world changed and our hearts torn apart, let’s pause to remember and honor the memory of the Late Officer David Kellywood,” Gatewood said on Facebook.
“A prayerful day, a day of remembrance. We love you Officer Kellywood and we continue to keep everyone in prayer,” she added.
As part of the declaration, Gatewood ordered all flags to be flown at half-staff across White Mountain Apache land Wednesday.
Kellywood, 26, was shot and killed on Feb. 17, 2020, when he responded to a call near the Hon-Dah Resort and Casino in Pinetop.
Kellywood responded to reports of shots fired near the casino about 1 a.m., officials said during a news conference on Feb. 17, 2020.
A man there “immediately engaged in a violent, physical altercation with the officer, during which the officer was shot,” said Brian Swanty, chief deputy for the Navajo County Sheriff ’s Office.
The man fled, then a second officer shot and killed the man nearby, Swanty said.
Kellywood’s funeral service was on Feb. 29, 2020, and buried at Chieftain Cemetery in North Fork, Arizona.
“He was a very honorable man and he died doing what he loved,” Kamellia Kellywood said in an interview with The Arizona Republic about her late husband a year ago. “He loved his job. He loved his tribe. He died in the line of duty doing something he loved. He was protecting.”
A one-year anniversary memorial service to honor Kellywood is being held at HonDah Casino at 5:30 p.m. The service will be broadcast live on the White Mountain Apache Facebook page.