Lieutenant Thurman Sharp was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Christmas Day while working off-duty security in uniform.

   He was found outside his patrol car with his service weapon holstered by his day-shift relief officer, having been shot three times at point-blank range.

   After being shot, Lieutenant Sharp was dragged to a remote area and left for dead. His patrol car was hidden behind a Dumpster in an area with heavy equipment.

   He worked the late shift Christmas Eve to permit an officer to be home with his family.

   Lieutenant Sharp was survived by his wife, six children ranging from 15 to 38 years in age, 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, born a few weeks before his death.

   His brother-in-law, Deputy Chief Gary L. Martin, of the Lake County Sheriff's Department, was killed in the line of duty on August 22, 2006, along with Indiana State Police Lieutenant Gary Dudley.

The responsibilities of the Marion County Sheriff's Department – Law Enforcement Division (1822–2006) are now under the jurisdiction of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.