Officer William Evans Laid to Rest in Adams
ADAMS, Mass. — U.S. Capitol Police Officer William "Billy" Evans was brought to his final resting place Thursday afternoon after the Northern Berkshire community paid their final respects.
Evans' funeral Mass was held at noon at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church and officiated by Bishop William D. Byrne of the Springfield Diocese. Byrne had previously been pastor at St. Peter's Church on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.
The funeral was private with family and friends, and a long list of public officials including Gov. Charlie Baker, Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, U.S. Rep. Richie Neal, state Sen. Adam Hinds, state Reps. John Barrett III and William "Smitty" Pignatelli, North Adams Mayor Thomas Bernard and City Councilors Lisa Blackmer and Jason Laforest and Adams officials.
A contingent from the Capitol Police were also in attendance along with local, state, and regional law enforcement, including Adams Police Chief Scott Kelley, North Adams Police Chief Jason Wood, and Pittsfield Police Chief Michael Wynn.
The town of Adams closed off portions of Hoosac Street and Summer Street to accommodate the funeral. The town stressed that the day's proceedings were private, but did invite community members to gather on Park Stret to pay their respects as the motorcade made its way to Bellevue Cemetery to bury Evans. Evans' father, the late Howard Evans, is buried in Bellevue Cemetery.
Bellevue Cemetery was locked down once the motorcade entered.
Evans, a member of the U.S. Capitol Police, was killed on Friday, April 2, when a driver slammed his car into a checkpoint he was guarding at the Capitol.
Evans was raised in North Adams and Clarksburg and was a graduate of Drury High School. He served with the U.S. Capitol Police since 2003 and was a member of the Capitol Division's First Responder's unit.
His mother, Janice Evans, still lives in Clarksburg. He also leaves his wife, Shannon, and two young children Logan and Abigail; his sister and brother-in-law, Julie and Andrew Kucyn, and a nephew, Timothy.
He lay in honor Tuesday in the Capitol Rotunda, where President Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Charles Schumer spoke.
His remains were returned Wednesday and escorted by dozens of police vehicles -- local and regional -- from Bradley International Airport in Connecticut to Adams. The procession was meet along the way with salutes and flags and greeted in North Adams by residents who tood along the streets with flags and signs.
As the hearse and escort turned down Main Street, the large crowd that had been waiting for more than an hour fell silent in respect. North Adams and Clarksburg fire trucks lined one side of the street with firefighters at attention, along with Northern Berkshire EMS.
The weather was drastically different on Thursday as a cold rain fell. Still, Park Street was lined with people holding flags as the procession made its way to Evans final resting place in Bellevue.
