The Holliston Police Department will hold a ceremony to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the passing of Officer John Johnson on Saturday.

The ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. at the Holliston Police station (550 Washington St.). A prayer and moment of silence at the Johnson Monument will open the ceremony, after which Lt. Keith Edison, who worked with Johnson, will speak in honor of the fallen officer.

The flags will then be lowered to half-staff and taps will be played before refreshments are served in the Officer John E. Johnson Training Room.

Johnson died early in the morning of August 14, 1981, the only Holliston officer ever to be killed in the line of duty. The 31-year-old, six-year veteran of HPD was shot three times with his own gun during a struggle with a stolen car suspect.

While on patrol on August 13, Johnson noticed a stolen car driving west on Washington Street. After calling for backup, Johnson pulled the car over in the parking lot of a Honey Farms (now Jing’s Garden) and ordered the suspects out of the car.

But before backup arrived, one of the suspects, Jose Solivan, ran away on foot. The other suspect, Rolando Jiminez, then fled, with Johnson giving chase. When Johnson caught Jiminez, a struggle ensued, during which the latter grabbed Johnson’s gun and shot him. Jiminez then shot Johnson twice more as he lay on the ground.

Johnson's gun was never found.

The murder sparked a three-hour manhunt that involved over 100 officers from Holliston, surrounding towns and State Police. HPD arrested Jiminez on Prentice Street near the Hopkinton line.

Worcester police apprehended Solivan on Sept. 9, 1981.

Jiminez was convicted of second-degree murder and was denied parole in 2004 and 2009. He will next be eligible for parole in April 2014.

Johnson left behind his wife, Geralyn Johnson, his 10-year old daughter Jessica, and his three-year-old son Brian.