New York State Police, New York
End of Watch: Sunday, September 3, 2006
Age: 32
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: 4566
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: August 31, 2006
Weapon Used: Rifle
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Trooper Joseph Longobardo succumbed to a gunshot wound inflicted two days earlier when he and another trooper were ambushed while searching for an escaped convict in Chautauqua County
Earlier, the escapee had shot and wounded a New York State trooper on June 10th, 2006, during a traffic stop.
The escapee was the focus of a manhunt since the initial shooting and had been receiving assistance from friends and family in an effort to evade arrest. Trooper Longobardo and his fellow trooper were conducting surveillance on the home of a relative of the escapee when the convict shot them both with a high-powered rifle. The wounded trooper was shot in the back, with the bullet penetrating his vest and exiting from his abdomen. Trooper Longobardo suffered a severed artery when he was shot in the leg.
Both troopers were transported to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo. Trooper Longobardo underwent leg amputation surgery in an attempt to save his life. However, he succumbed to the wound the day following the surgery.
The suspect was apprehended in Pennsylvania on September 8, 2006, one day after being added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List. On November 29th, 2006, he plead guilty to the murder of Trooper Longobardo. He was sentenced to life in prison on December 19, 2006.
Trooper Longobardo was a United States Marine Corps and Air National Guard veteran and had served with the New York State Police for eight years. He is survived by his wife and 1-year-old son.