INDIANAPOLIS, IN – A former police officer fatally shot his wife and severely injured his teenage daughters before taking his own life in a tragic murder-suicide, police reported.

Officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) responded to a distress call concerning a domestic violence incident involving a weapon at approximately 9 p.m. on Monday, August 12. The call originated from one of Thomas Joseph Nolan’s daughters, who alerted authorities about the chaos unfolding at their south-side home.

According to the IMPD, officers were on the scene when they heard at least one gunshot from within the residence. They entered the home to prevent further harm. Inside, they found Nolan’s teenage daughters suffering from gunshot wounds; one was in stable condition while the other was critically injured.

Continuing their search, officers discovered the bodies of 51-year-old Ashley Nolan and her husband, 43-year-old Thomas Joseph Nolan, in the backyard. A firearm was recovered at the scene. Emergency medical teams quickly transported the two girls to Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University.

Authorities confirmed that the incident was a domestic-related murder-suicide. Nolan was a former reserve officer with the IMPD, having served since 2004, and before that, he was a reserve deputy with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and a resource officer for the Perry Schools Police Department. Nolan resigned from IMPD in May, but no additional details regarding his departure were disclosed.

Friends and neighbors spoke fondly of Ashley Nolan, recalling her as a dedicated medical administrator and a person deeply committed to her faith. Her uncle, Jim Bowman, expressed the family’s profound sorrow, describing Ashley as someone who always strived to spread happiness and positivity among her loved ones.

Ashley Nolan is survived by her daughters, Delaney and Jillian. A GoFundMe campaign launched by her family to support the girls has raised over $90,000 of its $200,000 goal. Jim Bowman encouraged the community to offer their prayers and financial support, emphasizing Ashley’s dedication to her faith and the well-being of her daughters.

In the midst of their grief, the family remembered Ashley as an irreplaceable source of joy and support. “If God wanted to call somebody home early in heaven, it would be her,” Bowman noted. “She was kind to a fault.”