KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Shawnee and Mission. If you have a story idea to share, send Alyssa an email to alyssa.jackson@kshb.com.
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After a shootout at a Mission QuikTrip on Aug. 6, 2023, Fairway Ofc. Jonah Oswald died from his injuries the following day.
He was 29 years old and had only served the police department for four years.
Blue ribbons are still around trees throughout Fairway.
This week, many neighborhoods have blue lights shining to honor Oswald.
Across state lines, you probably couldn't find a police department that didn't try to show up for the officers and family of Oswald in one way or another.
"It became a metro-wide endeavor to support this very small police department," Lenexa Master Patrol Ofc. Danny Chavez said. "From answering 911 calls, patrolling their streets for them, serving communications, serving meals, planning the funeral and parade."
While Oswald was not a member of Westside Family Church, they provided the building for his services.
"Every seat in this north sanctuary, which is nearly 1200 seats, was adorned with men and women who are first responders," Pastor Brad Norman said.
The church has hosted services like Oswald's several times before.
"A loss for a brother, a young life, a young budding life, a husband who had two young boys, you can't help but think about that but also someone who gave it all," Norman said.
In Christian churches, they want people to accept an altar call, but not the call Oswald had to answer.
"It was a very difficult, if not one of the most difficult memorial services I've ever attended and been a part of," Norman said.
Chavez would agree with the pastor that love will show up.
"Whether or not we knew an officer personally, for example Officer Oswald, not many, if any of our officers knew him personally," Chavez said. "Even though we work in the same county together, we all share a common bond of wearing the badge."
The Lenexa Police Department was on the same call as Oswald.
While they've never experienced losing their own in the line of duty, they know part of being an officer is thinking about whether they will make it home.
"No matter the call we go on, the traffic stop we make, you never know what's behind it," he said.
If the blue lights and ribbons in Fairway tell you anything, it's when officers must answer a call, the community will accept it, too.
"Today, I and the rest of the Fairway Police Department and the City of Fairway, pause to remember the sacrifice of Officer Jonah Oswald on this one-year anniversary of his passing. We miss Jonah every day. It seems like only yesterday that his enthusiastic voice could be heard cracking jokes in the halls of our station, or he could be seen waving to citizens as he patrolled the streets of Fairway. While Jonah is no longer here in person, his spirit continues to live on with the men and women of our police department.
Jonah believed in service and selflessness, and we will carry that legacy forever in Jonah's honor. On this difficult anniversary, I also want to remember those who were closest to Jonah, including his wife, two young children, and his parents. Their grief remains immeasurable, but we will always be here for them and consider them part of our family.
I also want to thank the countless people who have supported us and Jonah's family during this last year. Words alone cannot express how much that support has meant to us and helped us grieve and process the darkest of days in Jonah's absence. We are forever grateful."