On April 20, 1995, Patrolman John Frank Norcross, 24, of the Haddon Heights Police Department was killed while responding to a dangerous scene in Haddon Heights, New Jersey. Officers had gone to the home of Leslie Nelson on a child abuse matter and later returned with a search warrant; inside the house Nelson opened fire, killing Investigator John McLaughlin of the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and wounding Detective Richard Norcross.

Hearing shots fired, officer down, Patrolman Norcross went to the scene and began evacuating neighbors. He was struck by a single gunshot and died from his wound. Leslie Nelson was taken into custody and later convicted of the murders of John Norcross and Investigator McLaughlin and of the aggravated assault on Detective Richard Norcross; the case went through trials and appeals that changed the sentence over time.