Epsom Police Department, New Hampshire
End of Watch: Sunday, August 24, 1997
Age: 24
Tour of Duty: 1 year
Badge Number: 154
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: August 24, 1997
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Patrolman Jeremy Charron was shot and killed while checking on a car that contained two sleeping men at 5 am.
While talking with one of the men, the individual pulled out a gun, cursed at the officer, and shot him. Patrolman Charron returned fire until he collapsed, but none of the shots hit the suspect, though each hit the getaway vehicle. Both suspects escaped and drove north, where they attempted to rob a convenience store. Officers arrived at the scene during the robbery and arrested the suspects following a brief shootout.
It is thought that the suspect believed that Patrolman Charron would learn that there was a warrant out for his arrest or that he would discover the suspect, who was a convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm. The suspect in Patrolman Charron's death plead guilty to capital murder and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. The second subject was released on parole twice, and each time he violated his parole. He will be in prison until at least 2037.
Patrolman Charron had just returned from the funeral of Trooper Leslie Lord and Trooper Scott Phillips of the New Hampshire State Police before his shift started. He had only recently graduated from the police academy.
Patrolman Charron was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served with the Epsom Police Department for less than a year. He is survived by his parents, two brothers, two sisters, and fiancee.
American Legion Law Enforcement Post 122 was created in memory of Patrolman Charron.