Kankakee City Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Thursday, October 17, 1996
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Badge Number: 77
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 17, 1996
Weapon Used: Handgun; .357 caliber
Suspect Info: Death sentence commuted
Patrolman Anthony Samfay was shot and killed during a traffic stop at the 400 block of East Fair Street in Kankakee at 4:15 pm.
As Patrolman Samfay was returning to his squad car with the violator's driver's license, the suspect exited his car and shot Patrolman Samfay five times in the back. The suspect, who had no prior criminal record, was later arrested without incident after carjacking another vehicle.
The suspect was found guilty of murder and aggravated vehicular hijacking and sentenced to death. On January 11, 2003, the outgoing governor granted clemency to all 167 Illinois death row inmates as one of his last acts in office. The inmate's sentence was commuted to life without parole.
Patrolman Samfay had served with the Kankakee Police Department for one year and previously served with the Maywood Police Department and Cicero Police Department. He is survived by his mother, aunt, uncle, and cousins.