The Kiritsis Standoff: One Officer’s Memory of an Unthinkable Day
Tue Jan 06 2026
Hosted by Ezra Hill, with special guest, Jason Graybel and Lauren Ashby
In 1977, Indianapolis was thrust into a crisis unlike anything it had seen before.
Tony Kiritsis, a deeply troubled man armed with a sawed-off shotgun rigged to a dead-man’s switch, took a hostage and forced law enforcement into a tense, unforgettable standoff.
In this episode, we hear directly from a police officer who's Father was deeply involved that day—someone who stood face-to-face with Kiritsis during the hours when a single mistake could have meant instant death.
This is not a sensational retelling.
It is a first-hand account of fear, restraint, judgment under pressure, and the human cost carried by those who answer the call when everything is on the line.
Recorded at JoeAkeStudios Greenwood Indiana
More
Hosted by Ezra Hill, with special guest, Jason Graybel and Lauren Ashby In 1977, Indianapolis was thrust into a crisis unlike anything it had seen before. Tony Kiritsis, a deeply troubled man armed with a sawed-off shotgun rigged to a dead-man’s switch, took a hostage and forced law enforcement into a tense, unforgettable standoff. In this episode, we hear directly from a police officer who's Father was deeply involved that day—someone who stood face-to-face with Kiritsis during the hours when a single mistake could have meant instant death. This is not a sensational retelling. It is a first-hand account of fear, restraint, judgment under pressure, and the human cost carried by those who answer the call when everything is on the line. Recorded at JoeAkeStudios Greenwood Indiana