Officer Timothy Jacob ’Jake’ Laird, 31, was killed in the line of duty in the early morning of August 18, 2004, after responding to reports of a man seen walking with a rifle on the south side of Indianapolis. Officers who arrived in the 2800 block of Dietz Street immediately came under gunfire; one officer was wounded in his car, and when Laird exited his patrol vehicle he was struck by a fatal chest wound above his protective vest. He was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital and died shortly after arrival.

Investigators determined the shooter, 33-year-old Kenneth C. Anderson, had earlier fatally shot his 66-year-old mother, Alice Anderson, at their home. Anderson, who was found to have schizophrenia and reportedly was not taking prescribed medication, continued exchanging gunfire with officers and fatally wounded Laird; Officer Peter Koe, wounded in the knee, shot and killed Anderson at the scene. Four other officers were injured and survived.

Laird, a Marine Corps veteran who had served with the Indianapolis Police Department for nearly four and a half years, received the department’s Medal of Honor and Purple Heart posthumously and was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in the Heroes of Public Safety section.

If anyone has information about the events that morning or knew Officer Laird, please share what is known.