Officer David S. Moore, 29, was shot while making a routine traffic stop of a gold-colored 1998 Toyota Camry near 3400 North Temple Avenue during the morning of Sunday, January 23, 2011. He had typed the description and plate number of the car into his computer before getting out. As he approached the suspect vehicle, he was shot four times by the driver who fled the scene. The Toyota was later determined to have been stolen, but it is unknown if Officer Moore knew that as he made the stop.
Officer Moore was unable to radio for help after he was shot. A passer-by called 911 to report an officer down. Even though he wore a bullet-resistant vest, he received multiple injuries outside the vest’s projection, including two shots to the head. He was transported to Wishard Memorial Hospital where he remained in a coma.
Thomas Hardy, a 60 year old parolee, was arrested at 5:30 pm on the evening of the shooting in the 2300 block of Indianapolis Avenue. He was initially charged with the robbery of the Dollar General store at 1801 S. Emerson Avenue and with being a serious violent felon in possession of a firearm. The robbery occurred at 9:56 am, less than one hour after Officer Moore’s shooting. The Toyota Camry was found at a downtown parking garage later in the day. Surveillance video showed the same man who had robbed the Dollar General store had left the car in the garage at about 10:15 am. Fingerprints on a Cheetos bag left behind at the dollar store robbery matched with Hardy. Hours after the shooting, more than 100 officers gathered in an auditorium at Wishard Memorial to watch over Officer Moore and show their support to his parents, former IPD Lieutenant Spencer Moore and active IMPD Sergeant Jo Moore.In the evening of Tuesday, January 25, Chief of Police Paul Ciesielski made a brief announcement that doctors at Wishard had informed Officer Moore’s family he would not recover from his gunshot wounds. On Tuesday night, about 300 people gathered for a vigil at Jones Tabernacle AME Church, 2510 E. 34th Street, a few houses from where Officer Moore had been shot. He was removed from life support and died at 6:18 am on Wednesday, January 26, 2011. On, January 27, 2011, Hardy was charged with Officer Moore’s murder. On March 14, 2012 Hardy pleaded guilty to murder in a plea agreement that was accepted in Marion Superior Court. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole during the morning of April 5.A long-time offender, Hardy was on parole at the time of Officer Moore’s death. Due to an administrative error, his parole status had not been entered into the law enforcement database. As a result, Hardy was freed on bond on December 21 for a November 2010 arrest on felony theft charges, a violation of his parole. He killed Officer Moore a month later. Officials at the Department of Corrections are conducting a review of their processes to determine why he walked out of jail in December.Officer Moore graduated from Roncalli High School in 2000 and Purdue University in 2004. While at Purdue, he majored in criminal justice. Following a longtime desire to be a police officer, Officer Moore joined the department in July 2004 and was subsequently named recruit of the year. The recipient of the medal of valor and medal of merit, he had just been assigned to the North District’s day shift. Prior to his day shift assignment, he had worked middle shift, earning a reputation among fellow officers as being an active officer who takes care of his beat. His mother said, “He worked harder than anyone I know. He put my police work to shame, and I thought I was pretty darn good.” On the day he was shot, at 9 am he had already made seven traffic stops and run 20 license plates.Services for Officer Moore were held on an icy, cold February 1, at Conseco Fieldhouse. They were attended by more than 2,000 mourners. Because of the ice storm, the procession was cancelled, and a graveside service was brought inside the fieldhouse. Throughout the service Sergeant Jo Moore held a police radio. At the closing, she broadcast her son’s last sign-off: “He’s 10-42 for the last time.” Video of the services was recorded in two segments for viewing: Section 1 and Section 2. Interment was held on February 4 near the Heroes of Public Safety section of Crown Hill Cemetery during a private ceremony.There was an out-pouring of stories about Officer Moore. Fellow officers, employees who worked in businesses on his beat, former teachers, sports team mates, school classmates, neighbors, and strangers all told heart-warming stories of their connections with him. In a letter to the editor of the Indianapolis Star, a private citizen told of his ride-along with Officer Moore in October: “He treated every person with extraordinary dignity, respect and compassion. . . You can learn a lot about a person from seeing them work and interact with others. What I learned that day is that Officer David Moore was not only an extraordinary public servant; he was an extraordinary human being. . . I think about how many other lives were impacted in both large and small ways by his compassion, kindness and strength. . . (H)e certainly will not be forgotten.”In the days between the shooting and their son’s death, Officer Moore’s parents arranged to donate as many of his organs as possible. Because he had been in peak physical condition and because the bullet resistant vest had protected his chest and abdomen, doctors were able to perform multiple transplants.Officer Moore was the first member of the consolidated Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to be killed. He received the purple heart and medal of honor posthumously.
Memorial contributions may be made through the Officer David S. Moore Foundation.Source: Indianapolis Star, January 24 – February 5, 2011; May 23, 2011; April 5, 2011. The Indianapolis Magazine, January 2012.