On a winter day in Abingdon, Maryland, a sudden act of violence shattered the mid-day calm of a Panera Bread restaurant on February 10, 2016. Patrick Dailey, a 52-year-old Caucasian male and a respected Senior Deputy with the Harford County Sheriff's Office, was shot and killed in the line of duty. A 30-year veteran of the force and a former Marine, Dailey was a father to two sons and was only months away from his planned retirement.
His dedication to service was well-known, as was his love for his family and his active participation in the Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company.
The tragic events began to unfold around noon when deputies were dispatched to the Panera Bread on Merchant Boulevard following a report of a man wanted on outstanding warrants. Senior Deputy Dailey was the first to arrive and located the subject, 68-year-old David Brian Evans, sitting at a table. Witnesses reported that Dailey engaged Evans in conversation, attempting to speak with him. Without warning, Evans produced a handgun and fatally shot Dailey in the head before the deputy could react. The gunman then fled the restaurant, sparking a manhunt in the immediate vicinity.
The violence did not end with Dailey's death. As other deputies converged on the area, a second officer, Senior Deputy Mark Logsdon, was also shot and killed by Evans in a subsequent shootout nearby. Responding deputies returned fire, killing Evans at the scene. The investigation later revealed that Evans had warrants for his arrest in both Harford County and Florida, where he was accused of assaulting a police officer. His son indicated that Evans had a history of emotional problems and heavy drinking. The call to police that led them to the Panera Bread was reportedly made by Evans' estranged wife, who feared he was there to harm her, stemming from a domestic incident two decades prior. There were no arrests to be made as the sole suspect was killed at the scene.
