Deputy Marshal John Perry was shot and killed at a home on Osage Street in St. Louis, Missouri while serving an arrest warrant. At approximately 6:50 am, Deputy Marshal Perry along with approximately ten other U.S. Marshals and St. Louis police officers, went to the suspect's home to serve a felony warrant for assault on a law enforcement officer and drug possession. The officers were able to remove several children from the home before beginning their search for the suspect. As the officers were conducting the search, the suspect opened fire, striking one deputy marshal and one St. Louis police officer. In a second exchange of gunfire, a second deputy marshal was shot and the suspect was shot and killed.

Deputy Marshal Perry was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds later in the day.

Deputy Marshal Perry served with the United States Marshals Service for 10 years, first in Washington, DC, and then in St. Louis, and had previously served 16 years as a probation officer for the Madison County, Illinois Probation and Court Services Department.

Deputy Perry served in the District of Columbia Superior Court where, in addition to his duties in the court, he was a volunteer to the call center for the television series America's Most Wanted. Deputy Perry was posthumously promoted to Protective Intelligence Investigator by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Deputy Perry is survived by his three children; Brooke McQuay, Laura Perry and Sam Perry; mother Pamela Roberts of Rio Verde, Ariz; brother Bartley Perry of Joliet, Ill.; sister Meredith Neill of Phoenix, Arizona; Kathy Perry, mother of daughter Laura Perry; Kimberly McQuay, mother of son Sam Perry and daughter Brooke McQuay; and fiancé Pam Robtoy.