Community invited to line streets Tuesday before slain Clayton County officer’s funeral

As a middle school student, he made friends with a classmate who struggled to fit in. Henry Laxson also left an impression on his high school teachers, who said he stood up for students who were picked on.

But it was his work as a Clayton County police officer that highlighted Laxson’s dedication to service.

“Officer Laxson was the very best of us,” the department posted on social media. “He epitomized everything good and decent about Clayton County and the Clayton County Police Department. He will be missed but never forgotten.”

Laxson was killed last week while investigating a shooting at a Rex home, according to police. Investigators believe 35-year-old Arthur Allen Gilliam killed two women, shot a 12-year-old boy in the face and fired at officers, killing Laxson. An officer returned fire, killing Gilliam.

Laxson was the third Georgia officer killed in the line of duty in the past month and the eighth in 2021.

Public visitations will be held Monday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday from 10 a.m. until noon at First Baptist Jonesboro. The funeral will be held at noon Tuesday at the church, located at 142 College St. The family has asked that those attending wear shades of blue.

Those in the community wanting to honor Laxson are also asked to line the streets for the procession, which is set to begin at 8:45 a.m. at Southlake Mall.

From the mall, the procession will turn right onto Mt. Zion Road and proceed south for a mile before turning left onto Tara Boulevard. Then it will turn left onto Ga. 138 and then right onto Jonesboro Road. After turning right on College Street, the procession will end at the church.

The officer was remembered fondly by Jack Smith, who taught U.S. history at Jonesboro High School prior to Laxson’s graduation in 2012. Smith said the positive tributes to the 27-year-old that have poured in since his death are closely aligned with the teenager he knew a decade ago.

Smith said Laxson was “one of those guys who just made everybody feel good.”

“I remember sometimes, if a kid was being picked on or something like that, Henry would always step in there and do the right thing, say the right thing,” Smith said. “It didn’t surprise me how successful he was as a police officer.”

Laxson’s patrol car was parked in front of police headquarters for those wanting to drop off flowers or other gifts to honor him.

A GoFundMe page was created to assist his family. He is survived by his parents, sister and fiancée.

“To know him was to love him,” the fundraising page states. “He had a light that shined so bright, a love and a passion for everything he did, and a big goofy heart you couldn’t help but be drawn to.”

— Staff writer Henri Hollis contributed to this article.