On This Date in Minnesota History: August 26

August 26, 1994 – St. Paul “Police Officer Timothy Jones and his canine, Laser, were shot and killed after being ambushed by the suspect who had murdered Officer Ron Ryan earlier in the day.

Officer Ron Ryan³

Officer Jones was off-duty on the morning of August 26, 1994, when his fellow officer Ron Ryan Jr. responded to what appeared to be a routine ‘slumper’ call. A complaint had been received about a man sleeping in a car in a church parking lot on the east side of St. Paul, Minnesota. Officer Ryan approached the vehicle and woke the sleeper, who then identified himself. As Officer Ryan was returning to his patrol car to check the suspect's identification, the suspect shot him from behind with a gun he had hidden underneath his coat. The suspect, who had a warrant for his arrest, then took Officer Ryan's service weapon and shot him several more times. Officer Ryan was rushed to a hospital but died of his wounds. The suspect fled the scene, triggering a massive manhunt as he was pursued by St. Paul police officers with their highly trained K-9 dogs. 

Officer Timothy James Jones4

Among them was Officer Jones, who had volunteered to help search for Baker with his K-9 partner. The suspect was hiding in an ice fishing shack when the K-9, Laser, picked up his scent. When Officer Jones and Laser approached the shack, the suspect shot and killed Officer Jones. The suspect left the fish house and as he stood over Officer Jones, he was attacked by Laser. He shot Laser four times and then took Officer Jones' service weapon, hid the Officers' service weapons under the porch of a house, and hid underneath a pile of lumber and rubbish next to a porch two houses away, where he was apprehended.

Laser⁵

The suspect pled guilty to murdering both Officer Ryan and Officer Jones was sentenced to life without parole.

Officer Jones had been with the agency for 16 years and was survived by his wife and two children. He is buried in Elmhurst Cemetery, Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota.”¹

“Officer Ryan had served with the St. Paul Police Department for 19 months and was survived by his wife and parents. Only five months earlier, Officer Ryan was awarded the Medal of Merit for rescuing three children from a house fire. He is buried in Union Cemetery, Maplewood, Ramsey County, Minnesota.”2

¹http://www.odmp.org/officer/695-police-officer-timothy-james-jones

²http://www.odmp.org/officer/694-police-officer-ronald-michael-ryan-jr

³http://www.odmp.org/officer/694-police-officer-ronald-michael-ryan-jr

4http://www.odmp.org/officer/695-police-officer-timothy-james-jones

⁵http://www.odmp.org/k9/1371-k9-laser

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