LONDON, Ohio — Mentor Police Officer Mathew Mazany and Cleveland Police Officer Vu Nguyen were among four Ohio officers honored Thursday during the state's 32nd annual Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony.
The event, led by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, honors the memory of the 799 state peace officers killed in the line of duty since 1823. Special recognition is given to any officers who died during the past calendar year.
Officer Mazany was killed on June 24 of last year after he was struck by a drugged driver while assisting in an unrelated traffic stop. The driver is currently serving an 11 1/2-year prison sentence.
Just eight days after Mazany's death, Officer Nguyen collapsed during a training exercise at Third District headquarters and was pronounced dead four days afterward. An autopsy later revealed he had died from "multi-system organ failure" following intense physical activity combined with an unidentified dietary supplement.
The ceremony also honored Westerville Police Officers Eric Joering and Anthony Morelli, who were both shot and killed while responding to a hangup 911 call in February of 2018. In addition, a moment of silence was held for Colerain Township Officer Dale Woods, who lost his life on Jan. 7 of this year. Officer Woods will receive full honors at next year's ceremony.
The ceremony took place at the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy in London, about 25 miles southwest of Columbus. Aside from Attorney General Yost, law enforcement officers from across the state were in attendance, including from Cuyahoga and Lake Counties.