Police Officer
William Ronald Toney
Beech Grove Police Department
Friday, September 29, 2000

Age: 31
Served: 2 years, 4 months
Badge #: 37
Panel 20W, Line 22
Panel L29, Line 1

Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Gunfire
Date/Time of Incident:
Friday, September 29, 2000
09:30 pm
Incident to Death Duration:
Same day
Incident Location:
717 Fletcher Lane, Beech Grove
Incident County:
Marion
Incident Township:
Perry
Weapon Used:
9 mm handgun
Suspect Disposition:
Sentenced to death
(currently incarcerated)
Burial Place:
Washington Park East Cemetery, Indianapolis

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   Officer William Toney was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a car theft suspect.

   The incident had begun when another officer spotted a suspicious van and attempted to stop it. The driver of the van fled with the officer in pursuit. Officer Toney joined the pursuit and chased the van until it crashed in a residential neighborhood. The driver of the vehicle fled on foot with Officer Toney in pursuit.

   During the foot chase the suspect turned and fired several shots, one of which struck Officer Toney in the throat above his bullet-resistant vest. He was able to return fire once but did not hit the suspect. Officer Toney was transported to Wishard Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

   The 20-year-old suspect was arrested in a nearby house several hours later after a search involving over 100 officers from several agencies. In a death penalty case, he was subsequently found guilty by a jury of murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon, auto theft and resisting law enforcement.

   On October 15, 2002, he was sentenced to death and is currently the only offender on Indiana death row for the murder of a law enforcement officer.

   Officer Toney's incident occurred one day before his 32nd birthday. He was survived by his wife, 18-month and 4-year-old daughters, two brothers, sister and mother.


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Police Officer William Ronald Toney - Beech Grove Police Department - INLEM.org