On October 29, 2004, Jay, a 34-year-old Special Agent for the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, was shot while working undercover as part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force. Unfortunately, following a courageous fight, Jay succumbed to his wounds one week later. Prior to his service with the Department of Justice, Jay was a police officer with the Milwaukee Police Department for seven years. Jay also served on the New Berlin Fire Department for nearly 20 years. He began as an Explorer and rose to the rank of Lieutenant.

The Jay Balchunas Memorial Scholarship Fund has been established to honor the memory of this kind and selfless young man who gave willingly and without a second thought to so many in the Wisconsin communities. Scholarship funds have been established at Marquette University and Waukesha County Technical College to further the education and careers of those pursuing jobs in Criminology and Fire Science, respectively.