Neil Keith Wells was a 41-year-old Detroit Police Department officer when he was killed on an April morning in 2001 while on duty. A 14-year veteran assigned to a unit that policed high-crime areas, he and fellow officers were investigating complaints of drug dealing at a partially vacant apartment building at Cherrylawn and Ellsworth when he encountered a suspect in a dimly lit corridor. The suspect opened fire with a high-powered assault rifle; Officer Wells was struck twice and at least one round penetrated his protective vest, causing fatal wounds.

Three suspects were arrested at the scene. Investigators later identified the shooter as a man who had been released from prison early after using a false name; he was convicted of Officer Wells’s murder and given a lengthy prison term. Officer Wells left behind a teenage son and daughter; his death had a profound effect on the department and the community he served.