Detective Brad Lancaster’s widow and police department thank community for support

Four weeks after a gunman fatally shot Detective Brad Lancaster near Kansas Speedway, his family and police department offered thank you notes to the community Wednesday morning.

“The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of condolences, support, and generosity, we have received,” the note began. “Words cannot express our appreciation for those that have shown compassion for our fallen hero, Detective Brad Lancaster, and our entire Department.”

The statement added this note from widow Jamie Lancaster:

“Thank you for the unbelievable amount of love, compassion, and support that you have shown our family during the last month. Our lives forever changed on May 9, 2016, but we are able to find some comfort knowing that Brad loved being a Policeman and was doing what he loved. Brad also loved being a husband and father. We will forever miss him, but know that he will live forever in our hearts.

“Thank you for the outpouring of support for me and our daughters, it is appreciated beyond words. Brad believed in service to his Country and Community and it is comforting to see the respect the community has shown in honoring him. Lastly, thank you for respecting the privacy of our entire family. Please understand that we are still grieving and would appreciate your continued respect of our privacy.”

Prosecutors have accused Curtis Ayers, 28, of Tonganoxie, Kan., of exchanging shots with Lancaster and stealing his car before carjacking another driver and stealing a third vehicle on May 9. Lancaster died hours later from his wounds.

Kansas City police saw Ayers headingg south on Bruce Watkins Drive later that day. After Ayers wrecked and allegedly shot a motorist in an attempted carjacking at Bannister Road, police shot and arrested Ayers.

Ayers remains in a local hospital. He faces charges in both states, including a capital murder count in Kansas.

This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 9:32 AM with the headline "Detective Brad Lancaster’s widow and police department thank community for support."