Police Officer
James Lener Davis Jr.
Butler University Police Department
Friday, September 24, 2004

Age: 31
Served: 2 years
Badge #: Butler 17
Panel 7E, Line 24
Panel L5, Line 11

Incident Details

Cause of Death:
Gunfire
Date/Time of Incident:
Friday, September 24, 2004
10:30 am
Incident to Death Duration:
Same day
Incident Location:
510 West 49th Street, Indianapolis
Incident County:
Marion
Incident Township:
Washington
Weapon Used:
Officer's handgun
Suspect Disposition:
Killed by police
Burial Place:
Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis

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   Officer James Davis was shot and killed while investigating reports of a suspicious person outside of Hinkle Fieldhouse on the university campus.

   The subject was reported to police after being observed watching the womens' basketball team practice for an extended period of time. Officer Davis had just radioed dispatchers to check the suspect's identification when he was attacked by him and shot with his own service weapon.

   He was transported to Methodist Hospital where he died shortly after his arrival.

   The 26-year-old man fled the scene but was located several hours later by two Marion County sheriff's deputies in an off-campus neighborhood. When the suspect opened fire on the two deputies with Officer Davis' stolen service weapon, he was shot and killed by returned fire.

   Officer Davis, from Indianapolis, was survived by his wife, three children and sister.

Military Service


United States Army

Military Police Corps

Historic Place


Hinkle Fieldhouse, at 510 West 49th Street in Indianapolis, was built in 1927–28 with renovations in 1989 and 2011. Originally known as Butler Fieldhouse and nicknamed "Indiana's Basketball Cathedral," it was renamed in 1966 after long-time basketball coach Paul D. "Tony" Hinkle (1899–1992). It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 22, 1983 and listed on the Indiana Register of Historic Sites and Structures on October 19, 1983. It was later designated a National Historic Landmark on February 27, 1987.



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