On a summer evening in Indianapolis, the life of a veteran police officer was tragically cut short in a sudden act of violence. Perry Wayne Renn, a 51-year-old male officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, was shot and killed on July 5, 2014, while responding to a report of shots being fired.
That night, Renn and another officer arrived at the scene near East 34th Street and Forest Manor Avenue and encountered a man in a nearby alley.
As the officers approached, the man, later identified as 25-year-old Major Davis Jr., opened fire with a semi-automatic assault rifle. In the ensuing exchange of gunfire, Officer Renn was struck three times. He was rushed to Eskenazi Health but succumbed to his wounds shortly thereafter. Davis was also critically injured in the shootout and was taken into custody at the scene.
Major Davis Jr. was subsequently charged with murder. The legal proceedings that followed took several years, including a period in 2016 when Davis was found not competent to stand trial and was committed to the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction for competency restoration.
In April 2017, to avoid the death penalty, Davis pleaded guilty to the murder of Officer Renn. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing, the courtroom was filled with fellow officers honoring their fallen colleague.
Officer Renn was a decorated 22-year veteran of the force and a U.S. Army veteran. He had been awarded the department's Medal of Bravery twice during his career and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor and a Purple Heart. His death was a profound loss for the Indianapolis community and the police department he served with dedication.
