KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) –A wreath laying ceremony was held at the Eric Zapata memorial in downtown Kalamazoo Thursday to mark the 8th anniversary of his death.
PSO Zapata became the first Kalamazoo Officer to be killed in the line of duty when he was called to a report of a man with a gun in the Milwood neighborhood.
He was shot to death by a known felon, Leonard Statler, who had gained access to his father’s gun collection after a night of heavy drinking and playing violent video games. Statler then turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger.
Local elected officials, representatives of law enforcement and family members attended the ceremony.
