On the night of December 13, 2003, a violent sequence of events unfolded in Mishawaka, Indiana, resulting in a tragedy for the local law enforcement community. Corporal Thomas Roberts, a 43-year-old male veteran of the force, was on duty when a call came in regarding shots fired in a residential neighborhood. The disturbance reportedly stemmed from a dispute between neighbors on Battell Street, during which a man had fired several rounds into the air, prompting alarmed residents to contact the
police.
Corporal Roberts and his colleague, Patrolman Bryan Verkler, responded to the scene and were directed to a residence located at 1012 Sarah Street where the individual responsible for the gunfire was believed to be hiding. The officers approached the home in an attempt to make contact with the subject. As they tried to lure him out of the house to resolve the situation, the suspect, identified as 30-year-old Raymond Matthew Gilkeson, exited the dwelling. Without warning, Gilkeson opened fire on the officers, striking both Roberts and Verkler.
In the ensuing chaos, a third officer, Sergeant Michael Cleveland, was able to return fire, striking Gilkeson multiple times. Despite being wounded by police fire, investigators later determined that the fatal wound to the suspect was self-inflicted; Gilkeson retreated into the home and took his own life with a gunshot to the head. Corporal Roberts succumbed to his injuries at the scene, ending a 14-year career serving the Mishawaka Police Department. Patrolman Verkler was transported to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center but died during surgery two hours later.
Subsequent investigations by the St. Joseph County Prosecutor's Office and local authorities confirmed that Gilkeson acted alone during the shooting. No other suspects were involved, and consequently, no arrests or trials followed the incident. The case was closed with the determination that the deaths were the result of Gilkeson's actions. Corporal Roberts was survived by his two daughters and two brothers, leaving behind a community in mourning for the loss of two officers in a single night.
