Ex-Officer Kills Family in Murder-Suicide

Former Indiana Police Officer Kills Wife, Shoots Daughters, Then Himself

This article includes mentions of suicide and domestic violence. If you are at risk, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Those experiencing domestic abuse can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

URLS:

• https://988lifeline.org/
• https://www.thehotline.org/get-help/
• https://www.gunviolencearchive.org/

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Thomas Joseph Nolan, a former Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department reserve officer, is suspected of killing his wife, Ashley Nolan (41), and then turning the gun on himself after wounding his two teenage daughters on Monday night. Indiana police responded to a 911 call, arriving to hear gunshots. They found the teenagers with wounds and the couple dead in the backyard, along with a gun.

The surviving daughters were hospitalized, one in critical condition. The girls' school district, Perry Meridian Schools, offered counseling for staff and students. Neighbors expressed shock, describing Ashley Nolan as a "really sweet woman."

Nolan had served with the department for over 20 years until his recent resignation in May. He also worked as a resource officer for the Perry Schools Police Department.

Sadly, this fits the pattern of "family annihilation," a term for when a person kills their entire family and themselves, occurring every five days in the U.S. Texas leads the country in these incidents.

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Originally published by Julia in USA TODAY.