Glendale Police Department, Wisconsin
End of Watch: Wednesday, July 23, 1975
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 9 years
Badge Number: 4
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: July 23, 1975
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer George Robert Sassan of the Glendale Police Department was accidentally shot and killed by other officers in a case of mistaken identity.
Officer Sassan was off duty and had made an arrest at gunpoint following a disturbance at a local tavern.
He had just finished his evening shift and met his wife and friends at a local sports bar when Officer Sassan was propositioned for criminal activity. He was holding the suspect until law enforcement arrived. The wrong police agency was called. Upon their arrival, the other officers saw Officer Sassan holding his service weapon and opened fire on him as he turned towards them, hitting him four times in the back and killing him.
Officer Sassan was a U.S. Army veteran who had served 9 years in law enforcement. He is survived by his wife and one child.