Park Forest, Illinois, police Detective Tim Jones, a symbol of unyielding resilience, died on December 3, 2025, at age 34 in his home surrounded by family, nearly a decade after a line-of-duty shooting left him paralyzed.
The announcement from the Park Forest Police Department on Thursday has prompted widespread grief among colleagues and residents. Jones’s decade-long battle with traumatic brain injuries inspired countless through his determination.
Flashback to 2016
The incident unfolded around 5:40 a.m. on March 19, 2016, when 24-year-old rookie Officer Jones responded to a break-in and stolen vehicle report in the 300 block of Neola Street. As officers established a perimeter around the vacant home, an armed suspect emerged and opened fire while being taken into custody. Jones was struck three times—once in the head and twice in the neck—sustaining severe wounds that required immediate airlift to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn.
Doctors induced a coma to manage brain swelling and delivered grim prognoses, stating survival odds were slimmer than winning the lottery; yet Jones defied expectations, emerging from the coma after weeks of critical care.
He endured multiple surgeries and over a year of rehabilitation at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton. In May 2017, he was discharged in full uniform to a standing ovation from supporters, marking a pivotal step in his recovery.
A Tinley Park native, Jones graduated from Victor J. Andrew High School before joining the Park Forest Police Department in early 2015, fulfilling a childhood aspiration in law enforcement influenced by his father, a former police chief. Despite paralysis, he pursued ongoing therapy and community involvement, earning an honorary promotion to detective in March 2021. His badge number, 204, became a local emblem of perseverance.
Family anchored Jones’s life; he cherished quiet evenings with his parents and siblings, sharing stories of his progress over home-cooked meals in their modest Tinley Park home. Adapted hobbies like adaptive fishing along local ponds and listening to classic rock provided solace amid physical challenges. He volunteered remotely with youth mentorship programs, drawing from his experiences to guide aspiring officers.
Jones’s legacy endures through organ donations that will aid 75 recipients, a Tim Jones street sign near the police station, and the #TimStrong movement that rallied the south suburbs. Funeral arrangements remain pending, but his courage continues to fortify the Park Forest community he served with quiet valor.