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Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Gunfire
Date/Time of Incident:
Monday, April 13, 1987
05:45 pm
Incident to Death Duration:
Same day
Incident Location:
309 Tile Factory Road
Incident County:
Posey
Incident Township:
Black
Weapon Used:
Shotgun
Suspect Disposition:
Died by suicide

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Indiana State Police

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Sergeant John Edward Hatfull

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Sergeant
John Edward Hatfull
Indiana State Police
Monday, April 13, 1987

Panel 25E, Line 10
Panel L3, Line 7

   Sergeant John Hatfull was shot and killed while leading an emergency response team into the rural home of a suicidal man in Posey County.

   He was airlifted from the scene to Welborn Hospital in Evansville where he died about an hour later.

   The 47-year-old man, who had held police at bay for over two hours, died by suicide.

   Sergeant Hatfull, from Evansville, was assigned to the Evansville post. He was survived by his wife, 12-year-old son, 18-year-old daughter and mother. After his death, he was promoted to lieutenant, the agency's only officer to ever receive a posthumous promotion.

  

Military Service


United States Marine Corps
1961–1965

Memorial Tribute

• In 2013, the Interstate 64 bridge over the Big Bayou River in Posey County was dedicated the Sergeant John E. Hatfull Memorial Bridge in his honor.


Personal Details

Age: 45
Law Enforcement Service:
14 years, 2 months
Burial Place:
Oak Hill Cemetery, Evansville