LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Over 18 years after being killed in the line of duty, a Las Vegas police officer is being honored and a park has been renamed after him.
On Tuesday, Clark County officials unveiled Henry Prendes Park at Hidden Palms.
Sergeant Henry Prendes joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department in 1991 served the Las Vegas community for 15 years.
On Feb. 1, 2006, he was responding to a domestic violence call. A caller reported a man was breaking windows and beating a woman with a stick inside a home on Feather Duster Court, which is near Patrick Lane and Durango Drive.
When Prendes arrived at the home and walked up to the front door, a 22-year-old man shot him with a semi-automatic assault rifle and began firing at additional officers who arrived to help. Another officer was shot in the knee and several vehicles on the street were damaged. The suspect was eventually killed in a gun battle between him and officers.
Prendes died from his wounds. He was 37 years old.
His daughters Brooke and Kylee were 15 and 13 at the time. On Tuesday, they stood before a crowd of friends, family, and county officials to thank them for honoring their father and his life of service.
"I just realized this when I was driving here, that this park was Hidden Palms and it's HP. I was like okay. Meant to be," Brooke said. "When you lose a hero in your life, you're constantly looking for ways to honor their legacy and ensure their name is never forgotten."
Brooke said the park was a "little dream that we never thought would be possible."
"Wouldn't it be cool to have a park named after our dad? Days later, we had some real conversations that were about how to make it a reality. I then told [Undersheriff] Andy Walsh in passing what we were working on. In a matter of weeks, he had drafted the most beautiful letter of recommendation to Michael Naft that he approved. These individuals didn't hesitate to make this happen for our family and we're forever grateful."
Brooke and Kylee are both married with kids of their own and say this is one way their children will be able to connect with their grandfather.
"We prayed for something like this for our kids to know who their grandfather was and our prayers have been answered," Brooke said. "I pray that every officer killed in the line of duty is honored in the way that they should be. May this achievement serve as a beacon of hope for families of all officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice."
In addition to the park, the Prendes family has also established Henry's Place, a summer camp for inner-city youth.
According to the organization's website, the organization partners with Las Vegas area faith-based and secular community groups to identify 500 at-risk youth, who can then spend a week at camp in Southern Utah.
