Bellefonte Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Tuesday, October 19, 1971
Age: 29
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 19, 1971
Weapon Used: Rifle
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Police Officer Ronald Seymore was shot and killed by a man who had been served an injunction by the county sheriff to stop operating an illegal garbage dump earlier in the day.
The man became enraged and threatened to kill law enforcement officers. As he drove by Officer Seymore and an auxiliary officer, as they were directing traffic at the intersection of Allegheny Street and High Street, he opened fire on them, killing Officer Seymore and seriously wounding the auxiliary officer. Officer Seymore had arrested the suspect the previous day for assault and battery resulting from an argument about the dump.
The man was arrested a short time later 50 miles away on I-80 after a police chase. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on June 23rd, 1972. He died in prison on December 2nd, 2000.
Officer Seymore was survived by his five young children.