La Mesa honors fallen officer with tree lighting ceremony

LA MESA, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- The city of La Mesa held a tree lighting ceremony to honor Officer Lauren Craven, who was killed in the line of duty by an alleged drunk driver.

The event, attended by community members, city officials and police officers, marked the beginning of the holiday season in La Mesa, but carried a somber tone as it was the first without Officer Craven. A blue star was lit on the tree to commemorate her service and sacrifice.

"She saved lives that night," said Ray Sweeney, La Mesa Chief of Police, referring to Officer Craven's actions on the night she was killed. "She stepped up and she did what our police officers are expected to do, and we run towards the danger and not away."

Officer Craven was killed on Oct. 20 while assisting crash victims on the I-8 when she was struck by an alleged drunk driver. Her death has left a profound impact on the La Mesa community, especially as the holidays approach.

The tree lighting ceremony featured nearly 9,000 lights, with a prominent blue star shining at the top in Officer Craven's honor.

"It means the world because that's a very high tree and people are going to see that star," Chief Sweeney remarked.

La Mesa City Councilwoman Laura Lothian expressed the mixed emotions of the evening, stating, "It’s been utterly painful for everybody." Despite the sadness, the community gathered to celebrate the holiday spirit and remember Officer Craven's contributions.

Attendees of the ceremony, including children and parents, shared their feelings about the event.

"I love the Christmas tree," said Dalia, a young attendee, while Koda Haney added, "It’s just a fun holiday with all the lights."

The ceremony served as a reminder of Officer Craven's bravery and the support she provided to the community.

"She was our light, for sure, for the city of La Mesa," Chief Sweeney stated, emphasizing her lasting impact.

The city of La Mesa plans to keep the blue star as a permanent fixture in their holiday tree lighting tradition, ensuring that Officer Craven's legacy continues to shine brightly over the community.

FOX 5/KUSI's Dominique Lavigne contributed to this report.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KSWB. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KSWB staff before being published.