Sergeant Joseph Eugene LeClaire Jr., 53, was killed while serving a bench warrant in Philadelphia on the night of March 19, 2004. LeClaire and two other court officers went to arrest a suspect named Darien Houser at an apartment on the 4900 block of Stenton Avenue around 1:42 am. A woman let the officers inside and Houser opened fire as they stepped in. LeClaire was struck in the head and in the abdomen; a second officer was shot in the stomach and a third officer was shot in the hand. LeClaire’s bulletproof vest covered his chest but did not protect him from the abdominal wound. He was taken to Albert Einstein University Hospital and pronounced dead about two hours later.

Officers returned fire, wounding Houser, who was captured and taken into custody. LeClaire, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who had served with the Court of Common Pleas for nine years, is survived by his wife and two grown children. The shooting prompted advocacy for improved protective gear for court officers and a push for legislation to provide full-body armor to domestic officers.

If anyone knew Sergeant LeClaire, his family, or details about that night, please share what is known.