Officer Thomas "Tom" Frederick Ballman

On Thursday February 7, 2008 Officer Thomas Ballman and Sergeant William Biggs were shot and killed when a suspect opened fire at a Kirkwood city council meeting.

The suspect approached Sergeant Biggs across the street from the city hall and asked him what time the meeting started, then pulled out a handgun and fatally shot him. The man then took Sergeant Biggs' service weapon and walked across the street into the city hall.

Once inside the council chambers, he approached Officer Ballman, who was sitting in the front of the room, and also fatally shot him. The man then opened fire on the other occupants of the room, killing two council members and the director of public works before being shot and killed by two other officers.

Officer Ballman had served with the Kirkwood Police Department for 9 years and had previously served with the St. Charles County Sheriff's Office for 2 years.