William Ronald Toney

Beech Grove Police Department — Beech Grove, IN

Felonious

End of Watch September 29, 2000

Age 31

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 147 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Police Officer William Toney was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a car theft suspect.

The incident had begun when another officer spotted a suspicious van and attempted to stop it. The driver of the van fled with the officer in pursuit. Officer Toney joined the pursuit and chased the van until it crashed in a residential neighborhood at the 700 block of Churchman Avenue. The driver of the vehicle fled on foot with Officer Toney in pursuit. During the foot chase on Fletcher Lane, the suspect turned and fired several shots, one of which struck Officer Toney in the throat above his bullet-resistant vest. He was able to return fire once but missed the suspect. Officer Toney was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Officer Toney had served with the Beech Grove Police Department for two years, with the incident occurring one day before his 32nd birthday.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters, ages 18 months and four years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IN-A615A32A
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Toney gave the Beech Grove Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Beech Grove community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Toney.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Beech Grove Police Department

Location Beech Grove, IN

Platform Identity bgpd.marion.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 29, 2000

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Police Officer William Ronald Toney is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Beech Grove Police Department, 2 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Beech Grove Police Department

of 4 officers

50% Felonious

IN — Statewide

311

of 503 officers

61.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious