INDIANAPOLIS -- “He had the career he always wanted - a police officer - and he was the best friend anyone could ever want.”
Marion County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Christopher Berry had lunch with Lieutenant Aaron Allan on July 27.
Just over an hour later his best friend would be killed in the line of duty.
Lt. Allan was shot multiple times while trying to help a man who had just been in a car accident. He later died at the hospital.
“Had I know he was going, never to return – I would have tried my best to stop him,” said Sgt. Berry. “But he would have gone anyway.”
READ | In her words: Wife of Lt. Allan writes touching tribute
That lunch - those final moments with his best friend - are ones that Sgt. Berry says he will cherish for the rest of his life.
“God knew what he was doing, he wanted us to have one last conversation,” said Sgt. Berry. “One last chance to say, ‘Love ya brother, be safe.’”
Sgt. Berry and Lt. Allan met 13 years ago at the Marion County Sheriff’s Department and quickly became friends over their love of sports and the outdoors.
Sgt. Berry was the best man at Lt. Allan’s 2011 wedding to his wife Stacy, and he was there the day his son, Aaron Jr., was born.
PHOTOS | Memorial for Lt. Aaron Allan on his cruiser | Southport police Lt. Aaron Allan
Sgt. Berry spoke on behalf of their group of friends at Lt. Allan's celebration of life on Saturday. Sgt. Berry, Deputy Lonnie Helton, Deputy Robert Lane and Lt. John Livingston worked with Lt. Allan on the force and doing part time security jobs – sometimes seeing each other more than they saw their own families.
“We never trained together, but we had a connection. An unspoken ability to understand what the other was thinking and support each other in various situations,” said Sgt. Berry. “He always had our six.”
Allan was described by his friends as a man who gave everyone a chance and had committed his life to helping and loving others.
“He was a cop’s cop, he respected the law and lived his life by the code of the law,” said Sgt. Berry. “He was a true community officer; he loved and supported his community.”
Lt. Allan's character is evident in some of the stories those closest to him have told since his tragic death - like the time he bought a car battery for a woman in need or when he waited at traffic court for over two hours just to give a woman back the car keys she had lost.
That was a common theme in Lt. Allan’s life.
Lt. Allan’s wife, Stacy, was described by many as the “woman of his dreams” and his sons, T.J. and little Aaron his “pride and joys.”
“Aaron loved his wife, and his children. Hunting and fishing and police work – and I think it was pretty much in that order,” said Southport Police Department Chief Thomas Vaughn during his tribute at Allan's funeral.
Chief Vaughn wasn't just Lt. Allan's boss, the two shared a close bond.
“I didn’t lose an officer,” said Chief Vaughn. “I lost a friend.”
The loss of Lt. Allan is felt by more than just the tight-knit community of Southport. Many of Indiana's top dignitaries made time for words at Saturday's service.
“This coming Monday, someone will fill Lt. Allan’s role on duty. That’s what we do in the wake of a tragedy, fill the roles of the loved ones we have lost,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “But we will never, ever be able to replace the one who first filled them.”
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You can watch all of the tributes given during Lt. Allan's celebration of life on Saturday below.
