INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - The Southport Police Department is mourning the department's first in the line of duty death of one of its officers.
Police say Lt. Aaron Allan died Thursday evening after being shot while trying to help someone whose car had crashed.
"Lt. Allan was a hard worker and today was no different. He was responding to a crash with urgency to preserve life, tragically, his was lost," said Southport Police Chief Thomas Vaughn.
Police say one of the men in the car that overturned in the crash opened fire, hitting Allan, a six-year veteran of Southport Police, with more than 20 years of law enforcement experience.
"EMS personnel responded and transported the lieutenant to Eskenazi Hospital where, despite best medical effort of the medical staff here at the hospital, the lieutenant was tragically pronounced deceased," said IMPD Sgt. Kendale Adams.
A procession of police cars, their lights flashing, accompanied Allan's body from Eskenazi Health to the coroner's office.
Officers from across the city and state arrived at the hospital to offer their support for a fellow officer who was named Southport’s Police Officer of the Year in 2015 for saving a man’s life.
"We, as a community, send out our thoughts and prayers to the family of Aaron and would like to thank the State Police, IMPD, Mayor (Joe) Hogsett, Johnson County Sheriff and many others for the outpouring of support during this difficult time and tragic experience," said Southport Mayor Russell McClure.
While Allan's police family was visible at the hospital, police say the 38-year-old officer also has a wife and two children.
He was also involved with the community he served. Last fall, Allan helped to make a little boy's dreams come true by naming Sam Williams, a three-year-old who was a regular visitor at the department, an honorary police officer.
Police say Allan had served as a school resource officer with Franklin Township Schools. He later left the Franklin Township Police Department to become Southport's first full-time police officer.
Earlier Thursday, Southport's police department had posted on Facebook condolences to IMPD for the loss of Deputy Chief Jim Waters, who also died today from injuries suffered in an off-duty crash on Interstate 70 last week.
Little did those Southport police officers know at that time, the condolences would soon be pouring in for one of their officers and his loss.
