3 Slain Pittsburgh Officers Honored In D.C.

WASHINGTON, D.C.,None — Three Pittsburgh police officers killed last April were honored during an annual Engraving Day ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.

VIDEO: 3 Slain Pittsburgh Officers Honored In D.C. PHOTOS: Slain Officers Honored In DC

Officers Eric Kelly, Stephen Mayhle and Paul Sciullo II were gunned down as they responded to a domestic disturbance call involving a woman and her son in the Stanton Heights section of the city on April 4, 2009. It was the deadliest single day in the 153-year history of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, officials said.

Richard Poplawski, 23, is charged in the killings. His trial is set to begin later this year with jurors chosen from Dauphin County.

On Tuesday, the names of the three Pittsburgh officers, along with seven other officers killed in the line of duty, were inscribed on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. They are among 324 fallen law enforcement officers nationwide whose names are being added to the memorial.

At 7:30 a.m., the families of each of the fallen officers traveled by motorcade to Washington. A group of local officers also traveled to the Capitol to honor their fallen comrades.

"I will not, at this time, relay the circumstance surrounding their deaths or actions that day," Deputy Police Chief Paul Donaldson said. "But if I chose to, you can be certain to hear words such as heroic, courageous and selfless."

After Donaldson copied each name, he saluted the officers one last time.

"It is an expression of respect," he said. "It's the ultimate respect one police officer can give another one. I salute them for their selfless service to the people of the City of Pittsburgh."

The families of the slain officers were allowed to make etches of their loved one's names from the memorial.

"And when you watch these families, you think of your family standing here because at any time it could happen to any of us," said Maurita Bryant, assistant chief of investigations. "So I just feel for the families and all the officers out there working."

Craig Floyd of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, called April 4, 2009, "probably the darkest day and painful day in the proud 153-year history of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police."

"Once the names are put on the wall, it's a time to say, 'OK, it's done," said Pittsburgh Police spokeswoman. Diane Richard. "And families and officers can hopefully start moving on … putting their lives back in order, too … to know that our officers, our fallen heroes, they're well taken care of."

Dedicated in October 1991, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is the nation's monument to officers who have died in the line of duty. Engraving Day takes place each April to symbolically commemorate the service and sacrifice of all the fallen officers whose names are engraved on the Memorial.

The 324 names being engraved on the memorial this spring include 116 officers who were killed in 2009, plus 208 officers who died in previous years but whose stories had not previously been told.

All 324 names will be formally dedicated on the memorial during a candlelight vigil on the evening of May 13 during National Police Week.

After this year's names are engraved, there will be a total of 18,983 officers honored on the memorial.

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