Staff photo / Nathanael Hawthorne This drawing, done by artist Ron Moore of Austintown, honors Justin Leo, a Girard police officer who died in the line of duty three years ago.

GIRARD — Three years ago, Girard police officer Justin Leo was killed in the line of duty. A local artist believes the best way to honor and preserve Leo’s legacy is with his gift — art.

At a dedication ceremony Wednesday, Ron Moore of Austintown presented a drawing of Leo to his parents, David and Pat Leo, and to the police department, where it will be permanently displayed.

“This portrait is my way of giving back,” Moore said. “I think the gift of art should impact lives and be a blessing to people.”

Moore has created drawings and donated them to other law enforcement agencies following a tragic loss. Some of the drawings he’s done were donated following the 2017 Las Vegas concert shootings, the Sutherland Springs church shooting, the Parkland Elementary school shooting and the shooting deaths of two Cleveland officers.

Responding to a domestic violence call Oct. 21, 2017, at 408 Indiana Ave., Leo was shot in the chest by Jason Marble. Leo later died in surgery. Marble was shot and killed by Leo’s partner.

Moore said he’d wanted to do this drawing ever since and felt this was the right time.

Moore also has Parkinson’s disease, and the entire picture was drawn while he was having tremors.

“My way of coping with Parkinson’s is through art, and this is my was to give back and bless people,” Moore said.

David Leo thanked him.

“I told him ‘You don’t realize what this means to people and even the people in Cleveland may not know what it means today, but they will down the road,'” David Leo said.

Moore said he has donated nearly 300 drawings to police departments.

“I’ve always loved and respected the police. They put their lives on the line every single day,” Moore said.

“It’s the actions of others that show you that people care and that helps you get through it,” Pat Leo said.

Also on hand at the dedication was state Sen. Michael Rulli, R-Salem, who gave the Leos an official proclamation.

“There’s only one thing that keeps society in America together, and that’s that thin blue line. And it melts our hearts that your son existed, and he did what he did. We love him forever for that, and we always will. I wish you guys God’s blessings forever,” Rulli said during the presentation.

Moore said he plans on creating 324 prints, symbolic of Leo’s badge number, and intends on selling them. All the proceeds will in turn go to the Justin Leo Memorial Scholarship.

“The extended blue family we’ve come to know, and the people we’ve met through our tragedy is amazing,” David Leo said.

nhawthorne@tribtoday.com