Gillette Police Department, Wyoming
End of Watch: Tuesday, December 20, 1983
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 4 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 20, 1983
Weapon Used: Rifle; .223 caliber
Suspect Info: Deceased
Patrolman Jon Hardy was shot and killed in an ambush after responding to a residential burglary call on Harder Drive.
He was shot, and his partner was wounded as they returned to their patrol car after checking a house. The subject used a .223 caliber Kar 15 that he had converted to fully automatic. He was holding a female hostage in the home after killing four people earlier in the day. It is believed that the shooter made the call to lure the officers to his residence.
The man later died when the pipe bombs he was making exploded. His hostage was injured in the explosion but survived.
Patrolman Hardy was a United States Air Force veteran and served with the Gillette Police Department for over one year. He was survived by his two children.