Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network

Massachusetts Police News, Information and Discussions on MassCops

Posted by: kwflatbed

The Officer Down Memorial Page Remembers . . .

Police Officer Tom Ballman Kirkwood Police Department Missouri End of Watch: Thursday, February 7, 2008 Biographical Info Age: Not available Tour of Duty: Not available Badge Number: Not available Incident Details Cause of Death: Gunfire Date of Incident: Thursday, February 7, 2008 Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type Suspect Info: Shot and killed Officer Tom Ballman and Sergeant William Biggs were shot and killed when a suspect opened fire at a Kirkwood city council meeting. The man had held a grudge against the city council for several years and had filed several lawsuits against the city. The suspect approached Sergeant Biggs across the street from the city hall and asked him what time the meeting started, then pulled out a handgun and shot fatally shot him in the head. The man then took Sergeant Biggs' service weapon and walked across the street into the city hall. When he entered the council chambers he approached Officer Ballman, who was sitting in the front of the room, and also fatally shot him in the head. The man then opened fire on the other occupants of the room, killing two council members and the director of public works before being shot and killed by two other officers. Related Line of Duty Deaths Sergeant William Biggs Kirkwood Police Department, MO EOW: Thursday, February 7, 2008 Cause of Death: Gunfire Agency Contact Information Kirkwood Police Department 131 W Madison Avenue Kirkwood, MO 63122 Phone: (314) 822-5858 Please contact the Kirkwood Police Department for funeral arrangements or for survivor benefit fund information.

---

Posted by: kwflatbed

Slain Missouri Officer "Belonged to Everyone"

AP Photo/Jeff Roberson Hundreds of police cars line the street outside St. Mark Presbyterian Church as officers arrive for the funeral service Kirkwood police officer Tom Ballman, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008. HEATHER RATCLIFFE St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Missouri) Feb. 12--BALLWIN -- The two hats signified two of Tom Ballman's commitments in life. A Marine hat and his Kirkwood police officer's cap, both resting atop a flag-draped casket inside the St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Ballwin today. A crowd of 1,300 filed into the church to say their goodbyes to Ballman, who was shot and killed Thursday night at Kirkwood City Hall. It was a spiritual service, complete with traditional scripture readings and organ music. Many in the crowd wiped away tears. One of Ballman's lifelong friends, Michael Wester, told the mourners how he'd grown up with Tom, even forming a fake rock band together when they were teen-agers. "Tom was my friend, like he belonged to me," Wester said. "I never recognized his importance to the community. But Tom belonged to everyone." After the hourlong service, a huge procession of cars filed east on Manchester Road into Kirkwood, the community Ballman had served since 1999. They were heading to Kirkwood City Park for a memorial. Ballman, 37, was a Marine Corps veteran who worked two years as a corrections officer in St. Charles County before joining the Kirkwood police force. He was appointed the department's community services officer in 2004. His duties included coordinating block captains and giving presentations to community groups, which brought him into contact with hundreds of residents. Ballman is survived by his wife, Cynthia A. Ballman; a son, Joshua, and a daughter, Rachel; his mother, Sue Carol Miller; his grandmother, Jewel D. Ballman; and three sisters, Lisa M. Collins, Jill E. Alaimo and Jody L. Ballman. Wire Serice

---

vBulletin Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.
vB Easy Archive Final ©2000 - 2008 - Created by Stefan "Xenon" Kaeser