Today marks 7 years since Officer Thomas LaValley was killed in the line of duty in Shreveport on August 5, 2017. 3 years ago, his killer Grover Cannon avoided the death penalty and was sentenced to life in prison. Officer LaValley was out on a routine call when Cannon shot and killed him, taking his life at the age of 29.

Everyone who knew Thomas will tell you what a kind and funny man he was. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was an avid New Orleans Saints fan. Even his cat "Drew" was named for his favorite Saints player.

LaValley's close friend, Chris Redford tells KEEL News "Thomas was family to me. We worked together every single day as the crime team at KTBS. Even after he left to join SPD, we talked every single day including the day he was killed. That kid meant the world to me and there's not one day that goes by I don't think about and miss him."
So, today, we not only pause to remember Thomas. We also pause to remember all of the other officers who prematurely were killed in the line of duty in northwest Louisiana.

From Thomas LaValley to Chateri Payne, we salute the officers who have fallen while attempting to serve their communities.

Officers Killed in the Line of Duty in Northwest Louisiana

Sadly there have been hundreds of Officers killed in Louisiana. Even more shocking, a lot of officers have perished in our region. More than 20 officers have been killed in the in the Shreveport area alone. The Officer Down Memorial Page tracks all of the officer deaths across the nation. Here's a list of all officers who died in the line of duty in Northwest Louisiana.

 

More From Highway 98.9