Investigator Michael John Walter, a 37-year-old male, was shot and killed on May 1, 2012, while serving a search warrant in Pearl, Mississippi. A former professional baseball player, Walter had been with the Pearl Police Department for three years. On the morning of his death, he and four other detectives arrived at an apartment complex on Colony Park Drive to execute a warrant related to a case of sexual battery of a minor and possession of child pornography.
The detectives were in the
process of clearing the apartment before conducting their search when they discovered the subject of the warrant hiding in a bathtub. As the officers attempted to take the man into custody, he resisted arrest. The officers tried to subdue him with a taser, at which point the suspect opened fire with a handgun. Investigator Walter was struck in the face during the exchange.
In the ensuing chaos, two other officers were also wounded by the gunman. One of the wounded officers managed to return fire, killing the suspect at the scene. All three injured officers were immediately transported to the University of Mississippi Medical Center for treatment. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, Investigator Walter succumbed to his injuries approximately 40 minutes after arriving at the hospital. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and parents.
