Louisville, Kentucky (LMPD / News Release) — On June 19, 2023, around 1:32 p.m., two undercover officers with LMPD’s Fugitive Unit were inside a vehicle attempting to apprehend a suspect in an unrelated investigation. Officer Hayden was approached by an armed individual on foot, wearing a mask who opened the driver’s side front door and pointed a gun at the officer. Officer Hayden fired several rounds from his service weapon, causing the subject, 21-year-old Mark Jaggers Jr. to drop the gun and fall backward. After the officer secured the scene to assess for additional threats, he requested other officers in the area to respond. Officers began rendering Aid and attempted to perform life-saving measures on Jaggers.
EMS responded to the scene and Jaggers was transported to the University of Louisville Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
Mark Jaggers Sr., Jaggers’ father, said following the shooting that he doesn’t believe his son was trying to carjack the officers and that he didn’t know anyone was inside the car. “That car was sitting here for three hours. … My son thought it was a dumped car,” Jaggers Sr. said. “I know it’s still illegal, I know. But it’s not worth getting shot over.” Hayden is a 10-year veteran of LMPD. Neither of the officers at the scene were injured. Police later said, Rex Wright Jr., 23, is the person detectives were initially looking for. He turned himself in after the shooting. He was wanted for a non-fatal shooting incident.
