On the evening of September 11, 2003, a 30-year-old Caucasian male named Jason Tye Pratt was working as an officer with the Omaha Police Department. He and his fellow officers were in the process of searching for a suspect who had fled on foot from a traffic stop. Near the intersection of North 34th Avenue and Corby Street, the man they were looking for suddenly appeared from behind some bushes. The suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Albert W. Rucker, began shooting at the officers.
A single shot struck Pratt in the head, causing a devastating injury.
Immediately following the shooting of Pratt, other officers at the scene engaged Rucker, returning fire and killing him. An emergency response was mounted to save Pratt's life. His fellow officers administered CPR until paramedics arrived and transported him to Creighton University Medical Center. He remained in a coma for eight days, a period during which he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant. Tragically, Jason Tye Pratt passed away on September 19, 2003, with his family by his side.
The investigation into the incident confirmed that Albert W. Rucker, a convicted felon with active warrants for his arrest, was the sole individual responsible for Sergeant Pratt's death. As Rucker was killed at the scene, no arrests were made in connection with the murder. The loss of Sergeant Pratt, a husband and father to two young daughters, was deeply felt by his family, the Omaha Police Department, and the wider community.
