Albany Police Department, New York
End of Watch: Friday, November 26, 1971
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: 7 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: November 2, 1971
Weapon Used: Rifle; 7.65 mm
Suspect Info: Not guilty by reason of insanity
Police Officer Edward Stevens was killed while assisting an ambulance crew.
Officer Stevens and two other officers responded to assist an ambulance crew who was attempting to transport the suspect to a psychiatric hospital. The suspect refused to cooperate with the ambulance crew and the officers and returned to her apartment and closed the door. One of the ambulance crew was able to look into the suspect’s apartment and saw her point a rifle at the door.
The officers attempted to move away from the door but the suspect fired her rifle. The bullet grazed one of the assisting officers in the back of the head and struck Officer Stevens in the neck. Officer Stevens was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds later in the afternoon. The suspect surrendered to the police and she was charged in the murder of Officer Stevens. The suspect, 36, was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Police Officer Stevens served seven years with the Albany Police Department and is survived by his wife and son.