In the early morning hours of March 23, 2005, Louisville Metro Police Officer Peter Alan Grignon, a 27-year-old male, was nearing the end of his shift. He had recently returned from an anniversary trip with his wife of just over a year. At approximately 6:30 a.m., he responded to a call about a car driving through a homeowner's yard on Accasia Drive.
Upon arrival, the situation escalated as he discovered the suspect vehicle burning in a nearby field.
After calling for the fire department, Officer Grignon began to search the area for suspects. He soon encountered two teenagers walking in the street and stopped to question them, notifying dispatch that he was making contact. A witness described the initial interaction as calm, but shortly after she went inside, gunshots rang out. The backup officer who arrived just 19 seconds later found Officer Grignon down with multiple gunshot wounds to his head and neck. He was rushed to University Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries about two hours later.
The individual who shot Officer Grignon was 17-year-old Travis Ballard, who had an extensive history of criminal activity and mental health issues. After shooting the officer, Ballard attempted to take Grignon's service weapon from its holster. When the backup officer arrived, Ballard turned his own gun on himself and committed suicide at the scene.
The second suspect, a 16-year-old male, was taken into custody. He was later charged with receiving stolen property, two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, and fraudulent use of a credit card. He also had outstanding juvenile warrants. Officer Grignon had served with the Louisville Metro Police Department for two years and was the first officer from the newly formed department to be killed in the line of duty.
