LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KRQE) – A southern New Mexico police officer killed in the line of duty earlier this year is set to be honored nationally. The police chief said it's been a difficult year for the agency. In the 96-year history of the Las Cruces Police Department, not one officer had been lost in the line of duty until this year. Now, Las Cruces officers will make their annual trip to Washington D.C during National Police Week, but for the first time, they will honor one of their own. "We’ll visit the memorial wall where his name will already be etched,” said Chief Jeremy Story with the Las Cruces Police Department. Officer Jonah Hernandez is one of many who will be inducted at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in May of 2025. Developers looking to buy Wells Fargo Bank in downtown Albuquerque "So, we will have an officer that is on the wall that is honored during the candlelight vigil services, and I think it means a lot for the department. I wish we were just continuing our trend of going to support other departments that have lost officers, but it helps bring closure to the officers in the department but really even more so for his family,” said Story. Officer Hernandez was responding to a trespassing call, when the suspect, in what police said was an "unprovoked attack," stabbed him. The suspect was then shot and killed by a nearby witness and Hernandez died from his injuries. After the traumatic event, Chief Jeremy's story hopes to show the department's support to the late officer's wife and two children. "There's so many people that really should go. I wish I could send the whole department,” said Story. Those who were closest to him, and other officers who handled the traumatic call will escort his family from the moment they land to the memorial. "They're going to see Honor Guard from all kinds of departments, but I want them to see our department because ultimately we're their family, and we need to be there for them in this difficult time,” said Story. With limited funding, the agency's traffic section hopes to send more than the four motors funding allows for. Protests erupt in Albuquerque over fatal police shooting of handcuffed suspect "There's a fundraising effort to supplement. The city is investing a considerable amount of money to get people there. Including the city manager's office that's helping me with some of the funds. So obviously we have a limited budget still,” said Story. When asked, how it feels to honor an officer from his department nationally, Story replied, "I won't say it feels good. Because again, I would much rather go back to not ever having to do that, but I think he does deserve recognition for the sacrifice he made, and you know, he was just doing his job the job he did every day, loved doing and that our officers continue to do every day. But unfortunately, some officers don't continue to do that job because somebody takes their life." Other local officers who died in the line of duty in 2023 were honored at last year’s event, including Officer Anthony Ferguson with the Alamogordo Police Department and Michael Moran with the Cortez Police Department. Officers from the Las Cruces Police’s Traffic Department are raising funds to send their full fleet to D.C. to escort the family.