Indianapolis Officer Succumbs to Injuries

INDIANAPOLIS --

Indianapolis Police Chief Paul Ciesielski assured the community Wednesday that officers are continuing the hard work of Officer David Moore as they investigate the shooting that led to this death.

Moore, a six-year veteran of the department, died early Wednesday, three days after he was shot three times during a traffic stop in the 3400 block of Temple Avenue.

Moore had been in the intensive care unit at Wishard Memorial Hospital after he was shot twice in the face and once in the thigh. A fourth shot fired at Moore's chest bruised the officer, but his bulletproof vest kept that bullet from piercing his skin.

"I want the community to know that as hard as we're grieving,… we're going to continue to do what David did and what we do every day," Ciesielski said. "We'll get through it and we'll keep doing our jobs."

Thomas Hardy, 60, who appeared in court Tuesday on a robbery charge in connection with a Dollar General store heist that happened within an hour of the shooting, is expected to be charged in connection with Moore's death.

Moore's father, retired Lt. Spencer Moore, told reporters at a Wednesday news conference with his wife, Sgt. Joanne Moore, that the family had met with the prosecutor's office, but that they are focused on celebrating their son's life.

"I'm not going to give this guy (Hardy) a second of energy. I could care less," Spencer Moore said. "This is about David, and this is about the department he loved."

Ciesielski commended Moore's fellow officers for stepping up to help out in the investigation. Other agencies, off-duty officers and federal investigators also called to see what they could do to help, he said.

"When this happened Sunday morning, the command staff made a decision right then and there that we weren't going to go home, we weren't going to rest until we had the person responsible and in custody," Ciesielski said. "Everybody came together to find this person."

Ciesielski also stressed that Moore followed his training during the traffic stop Sunday morning.

"I can tell you this: David did nothing wrong. I want to make that very clear," the chief said. "This is what we do. We can't have four officers in a car because we think we might get hurt… Our officers, again, are very well trained in what to do, and this happens very rarely."

In 2009, the last year for which numbers are available, 670 officers were assaulted and 151 officers were injured in Indianapolis, a trend that's ticked upward the past few years.

Within 24 hours of Moore's shooting early Sunday, 11 officers were shot nationwide.

"Even when it happens in Miami and we don't know those individuals, it affects us here," Ciesielski said. "It's a very disturbing trend and it's something that scares us all. It's a crazy world."

Moore is the first IMPD officer to die in the line of duty. Before the police merger, 76 Indianapolis Police Department officers and Marion County Sheriff's deputies gave their lives in service.

The father of Marion County Sheriff's Deputy Jason Baker, who was killed in the line of duty in September 2001, said he's giving support to the Moore family.

"Just being here, I'm a visible sign that you can get through this, you'll get past it," he said. "You'll never get over it, but there is some hope down there, and I hope that's what I do for them."

Molly Winters, whose husband, a Muncie police officer, was killed in the line of duty in 1991, sat with the Moore family as they talked to the media Wednesday.

"We very vividly remember everything that we went through," she said. "We remember from the first knock on the door to the first diagnosis from the doctors. We remember everything."

Moore's family said funeral arrangements have not been set but would likely be next week.

Hardy is expected back in court Friday.

Condolences for Moore's family can be left in the comment section below or on the 6News Facebook page . Some comments may be used on air.