Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Florida
End of Watch: Saturday, January 6, 1996
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 6 years
Badge Number: 1160
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 5, 1996
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death
Patrolman Bryant Peney was shot on the night of January 5, 1996, during a foot chase with a subject.
Patrolman Peney had tried to stop the subject while he was hiding in a bush along a highway. While the suspect was running, he turned and fired at Officer Peney. The bullet entered his arm, nicked his vest, and entered his chest. Patrolman Peney died in surgery at 354 am on January 6, 1996.
A manhunt involving approximately 200 police officers produced the suspect about nine hours later. The suspect was convicted of four counts, including first-degree murder, on May 26, 1999. On June 17, 1999, the suspect was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole by the jury. On August 27, 1999, the judge presiding over the case reversed the jury's decision and sentenced the suspect to death. The conviction was then commuted to life by the Florida Supreme Court after an appeal based on the ER/Trauma surgeon timeline.
Patrolman Peney had served with the Fort Lauderdale Police Department for six years. He is survived by his parents and twin brother, who also served as a Fort Lauderdale police officer.