Sergeant Platt had served 17 years on the police force and endured his share of tragedy. In 1997, one of his close friends, Lt. Owen E. Sweeney, was hit in the back by a shotgun blast fired through a door and collapsed in Platt's arms. Sweeney died a few hours later, and his memorial can be seen from the crash site.
On the night they were killed, Platt and Officer McCarthy were looking for serial burglars hitting homes in Hamilton. Laurie was supposed to meet him for coffee, and she had left the house with her children, then ages 3 and 4. She called her husband repeatedly on his cell phone but got no answer. He didn't show up at the restaurant.
On her way back home, she drove by yellow police tape on Glenmore and Alta avenues. A neighbor ran to her car to warn her not to look.
