Clayton County

End of watch: What we know about Clayton County officer Henry Laxson

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — A Clayton County officer was killed in the line of duty Tuesday night after the department responded to a domestic shooting.

Officer Henry Laxson died from his injuries at Grady Hospital. A second officer, Alex Chandler, was also shot in the hand and is expected to be OK.

Two women were also killed in the shooting along with the suspect.

Here is what we know about Laxson. Channel 2 Action News is working to learn more about Laxson’s life and how the department will remember him.

Clayton County Police Field Training Officer Henry Laxson served the citizens of Clayton County with honor. Officer...

Posted by Clayton County Police Department on Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Laxson was recently promoted in the department.

Due to coronavirus pandemic, the normal operations of the promotion ceremony have been altered. Chief Kevin Roberts has made it his mission to recognize these employees that have been promoted over the past few months. Some promotions are not shown due to the nature of their assignments. James Baker, Henry Laxson and Joshua Brown to Field Training officer.”

Laxson had been with the department since 2017.

“Two of Officer Laxson’s goals were to join the T.I.G.E.R. Unit (Targeted Interdiction General Enforcement Response) and become a member of the SWAT team. FTO Henry Laxson accomplished those goals,” Clayton County police said in a Facebook post Wednesday night. “Officer Laxson was the very best of us. He epitomized everything good and decent about Clayton County and the Clayton County Police Department. He will be missed but never forgotten.”

He was honored as “Employee of the Quarter.”

The Clayton County Police Department also honored Laxson in October as “Employee of the Quarter.”

Alex Chandler, the other Clayton County officer who was shot, was also recognized as “Employee of the Quarter” in July. Chandler was shot in the hand is expected to be OK.

Chandler has been with the department since 2014.