Sterling Heights Police Department, Michigan
End of Watch: Saturday, June 5, 2004
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 3 years, 6 months
Badge Number: 76
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 4, 2004
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Officer Sawyers died of wounds he received the previous day when he was shot while sitting in his patrol car.
Officer Sawyers had just finished investigating a traffic accident and parked his patrol car in the parking lot of a shopping center at 15 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue. While Officer Sawyers was completing the paperwork for the accident, a vehicle pulled up next to his patrol car and a male armed with a shotgun opened fire, striking Officer Sawyers in the head. The suspect then stole Officer Sawyer's service weapon and fled.
Officer Sawyers was transported to St. John Macomb Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds the following morning.
The suspect's motive in the killing was to acquire a handgun. On July 25, 2004, the suspect was located in Jacksonville, Florida, after being featured on the television show America's Most Wanted. As a SWAT team of local deputies and U.S. marshals stormed the house the suspect committed suicide using Officer Sawyers' stolen service weapon.
Officer Sawyers had served with the Sterling Heights Police Department for seven months, and had previously served for three years with the Detroit Police Department. He is survived by his wife and child.