750 Blue Roses Painted for K9 Haas Memorial Service

Non-profit "Backing the Blue Line" Prepared the Tributes Thursday Night

DULUTH, Minn-

Ahead of Friday’s memorial for fallen K-9 Officer Haas, a non-profit group is preparing something special that people who attend the funeral.

The non-profit Backing the Blue Line is preparing 750 blue roses to represent the sacrifice law of enforcement officers and their families. Each rose is tagged with a paw print and K-9 Haas’ name. K-9 Haas was fatally shot by a suspect at a domestic violence call. His handler was also shot, but survived.

The women who make up the non-profit all have a husband who is a law enforcement officer in Minnesota.

Backing the Blue Line puts together the blue rose tributes for every line of duty death. Recently, the tributes Minnesota have become common.

“This will be our sixth since July,” said Backing the Blue Line member Shannon Pedersen. “This is the first K9 officer in my tenure that’s been killed violently in the line of duty.”

All of the ladies know what it’s like to worry their husbands won’t come home, and many of them know the comfort that comes from having an officer with four legs, that always has their husbands back.

Tomorrow they hope as people hold these roses, they’ll remember that sacrifice just a little longer.

The roses are all provided by donations and volunteers, for more information about how to donate to Backing the Blue Line, click here.

The memorial service will be held Friday at the DECC. Doors open at 3 p.m., and the service begins at 4 p.m.