A vigil honored a beloved mother and dedicated Baltimore police officer who was killed at the same location more than a year ago.Two men fatally shot Officer Keona Holley in an ambush just before Christmas in 2021 while she sat in her patrol car working overtime at the intersection of Hazel Street and Pennington Avenue in Curtis Bay. She later died from her injuries. Police arrested and charged two men.Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and Holley’s family gathered Friday evening.”My sister has always been a hard-working, funny, full-of-life, loving, determined person,” said Lawanda Sykes, Holley’s sister. “It’s been a year of grieving, a year healing and a year of finding a new direction.”City police said Holley was in her second year as an officer and was serving in the Southern District.”Before even becoming a police officer, she was already a changemaker, a daughter, a mother, someone serving her community and decided to take an even greater step into her purpose by choosing to go into public safety and being a law enforcement officer in her hometown,” Scott said.”We grieve together and we heal together. So, we just want to say thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives and thank you for the text messages — sometimes late at night, in the middle of the night — for checking on all of us,” Harrison said. “This is your family, members from all of our department, from all ranks in the department, all saying we will never forget.”Friends described the mother of four children as witty and always smiling, saying she had the “true heart of an officer.”Last year, the city dedicated the 4400 block of Pennington Avenue as Officer Keona Holley Way. Her family said it serves as a landmark and a reminder of the importance of love and sacrifice that she gave.”Every time I drive down this street, I think about not what happened, but about what she did every day,” Scott said. “We all — each and every day — try to honor her by being a better version of ourself, working in our community, working in our city and pushing each other.”Sykes also spoke to the constant violence in the city.”It’s mothers that go to work every day. It’s fathers that go to work every day. Our kids go to school every day and have to worry about (being) harmed. My child goes to Edmondson Westside High School,” she said. “Once we start going back to loving they neighbor and being concerned with the wellbeing of others, we’d be in a much better place.”And she hopes her sister’s legacy inspires others to be better.”She will always be with us. She will always be by my side. She has never left me. She has never left this community. She is going to be a permanent watchman, even after the end of her watch,” Sykes said.Friday’s vigil was originally planned for December but was moved to Friday because of inclement weather.
A vigil honored a beloved mother and dedicated Baltimore police officer who was killed at the same location more than a year ago.
Two men fatally shot Officer Keona Holley in an ambush just before Christmas in 2021 while she sat in her patrol car working overtime at the intersection of Hazel Street and Pennington Avenue in Curtis Bay. She later died from her injuries. Police arrested and charged two men.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and Holley’s family gathered Friday evening.
“My sister has always been a hard-working, funny, full-of-life, loving, determined person,” said Lawanda Sykes, Holley’s sister. “It’s been a year of grieving, a year healing and a year of finding a new direction.”
City police said Holley was in her second year as an officer and was serving in the Southern District.
“Before even becoming a police officer, she was already a changemaker, a daughter, a mother, someone serving her community and decided to take an even greater step into her purpose by choosing to go into public safety and being a law enforcement officer in her hometown,” Scott said.
“We grieve together and we heal together. So, we just want to say thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives and thank you for the text messages — sometimes late at night, in the middle of the night — for checking on all of us,” Harrison said. “This is your family, members from all of our department, from all ranks in the department, all saying we will never forget.”
Friends described the mother of four children as witty and always smiling, saying she had the “true heart of an officer.”
Last year, the city dedicated the 4400 block of Pennington Avenue as Officer Keona Holley Way. Her family said it serves as a landmark and a reminder of the importance of love and sacrifice that she gave.
“Every time I drive down this street, I think about not what happened, but about what she did every day,” Scott said. “We all — each and every day — try to honor her by being a better version of ourself, working in our community, working in our city and pushing each other.”
Sykes also spoke to the constant violence in the city.
“It’s mothers that go to work every day. It’s fathers that go to work every day. Our kids go to school every day and have to worry about (being) harmed. My child goes to Edmondson Westside High School,” she said. “Once we start going back to loving they neighbor and being concerned with the wellbeing of others, we’d be in a much better place.”
And she hopes her sister’s legacy inspires others to be better.
“She will always be with us. She will always be by my side. She has never left me. She has never left this community. She is going to be a permanent watchman, even after the end of her watch,” Sykes said.
Friday’s vigil was originally planned for December but was moved to Friday because of inclement weather.
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