At 9:15 p.m., on March 2, 2018, in western Kentucky, on the Mississippi River, a city police officer—one of five officers employed by his small department—was patrolling in his department-issued 2015 Ford Explorer. The officer turned onto a rural road that ran through a large field before coming to a bridge that topped a small creek. It was a Friday night, and the officer needed to project police presence near the bridge; this area was a frequent hangout for teenagers to gather, play music, and drink alcohol.