Greig Gaspar, brother of slain Honolulu police Officer Glen Gaspar, held a lei yesterday that he and other family members will place this week on the National Law Enforcement Memorial at Washington, D.C. The lei contains laminated family photos and messages dedicated to Glen Gaspar, who was killed on March 4, 2003, while attempting to arrest a suspect in Kapolei.
Gaspar seeks closure
in D.C.The brother of a slain HPD officer
heads to a memorial ceremony
Greig Gaspar is coping with his brother's death more than a year after police officer Glen Gaspar was shot and killed March 4, 2003, in a Kapolei ice cream shop.
"I haven't really cried or grieved," said Gaspar, who, along with 30 others from Honolulu, plans to attend events this week at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Gaspar, who leaves today for the mainland, thinks that when he hears his brother's name called out in a ceremony Saturday to honor officers killed during the past year and sees his name on the marble memorial, the tears will finally flow.
Officials honor Honolulu's finest
Honolulu Police Department public events today in connection with National Police Week, May 9-15:» Mayor's proclamation of Police Week on Oahu: 10:30 a.m. Ala Moana Center, CenterStage
» Public memorial service: 6 p.m. Holy Family Catholic Church, 830 Main St. Ecumenical service conducted by Police Department chaplains and including special tribute to Officer Ryan Goto, who was killed last year in a multivehicle accident on the H-1 freeway.
"I thought it would be a good way to try and bring closure," Gaspar said.
Gaspar's killer, Shane Mark, was convicted of second-degree murder. He has not been sentenced, pending trial on additional charges.
Also to be honored this week during Police Week, both in Washington and Honolulu, is officer Ryan Goto, who was killed July 23 in a multivehicle collision on the H-1 freeway near Ko Olina.
Goto's and Gaspar's names will be added to the 16,000 names of fallen officers honored on the national memorial, including 38 from Honolulu.
In addition to Greig Gaspar, attending Washington events this week will be Glen Gaspar's daughters Kiana-Leigh and Taysia-Jamie; their mother, Renee Gaspar; his parents, Gilbert and Evangeline Gaspar; and his aunt and godmother, Nani Castro.
Also attending will be Goto's father, police Chief Lee Donohue and others from the department.
Buttons with photos of Honolulu police officers Ryan Goto and Glen Gaspar were made for bike officers to wear in the Police Unity Tour this week.
A team of six HPD bicycle officers will raise $11,000 toward the memorial's upkeep by bicycling in the Police Unity Tour this week.
Sgt. Ninette Vonier and Officers John Zeuzheim, Kennison Lee, Kerri Nagasawa, Brandon Fukuda and Walter Kahahawai will ride 250 miles from Chesapeake, Va., to Washington, where they will join hundreds of other bike officers at the memorial.
Related events this week in Washington include a candlelight vigil Thursday evening, a survivors conference for families of slain officers and a picnic.
Greig Gaspar made buttons with photos of his brother and Goto for the bike officers to wear as they ride. He is taking kukui nut and shell leis to the memorial for every Honolulu officer recognized there. After the ceremonies, those items will be placed in the memorial's museum, he said.
Gaspar said he will also take notes written to his brother by Waimanalo school students, who "wrote about his being a hero and that they hope he's having fun in heaven."
