On a rainy Sunday afternoon in March 2016, 28-year-old Prince George’s County Officer Jacai Colson was killed outside the Landover police station during an attack on the station and nearby vehicles. The assailant, identified as 22-year-old Michael DeAndre Ford, opened fire at the station, passing cars and an ambulance; prosecutors later said his stated motive was a suicidal desire to be killed by police. Colson, a four-year veteran working as an undercover narcotics detective in an unmarked car, engaged the shooter and exchanged fire.

In the chaos of multiple officers responding, a fellow officer, Taylor Krauss, mistook the plainclothes Colson for the attacker and fired one fatal shot. An autopsy confirmed Colson died of friendly fire. Investigators arrested Michael Ford at the scene and also took into custody his brothers Malik and Elijah Ford, who had driven him to the station and recorded the attack and events immediately beforehand. Michael Ford was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 195 years; Malik and Elijah Ford pleaded guilty to related charges and received prison sentences. A grand jury declined to indict Officer Krauss.

Does anyone have personal memories of Officer Colson or information about that day that could add detail to this timeline?