Manchester Police Department, New Hampshire
End of Watch: Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: 11 years
Badge Number: 83
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 16, 2006
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death
Officer Michael Briggs succumbed to a gunshot wound inflicted the previous morning when he and his partner responded to a domestic disturbance call.
Both officers were on bicycle patrol, and they located one of the participants in an alley at the corner of Lake Avenue and Lincoln Streets. Officer Briggs was shot in the head as he was questioning the male subject.
Officer Briggs was transported to Elliott Hospital, where he remained until succumbing to the wound.
The suspect fled the state but was arrested later in the day while hiding in his grandmother's home in Dorchester, Massachusetts. In an odd twist, it was discovered that the suspect was the same man whose life Officer Briggs had saved in 2003 following a shooting. The suspect was convicted in November 2008 of Capital Murder and sentenced to death. He is the only inmate on New Hampshire's death row. The last New Hampshire death sentence was in 1959.
Officer Briggs was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Manchester Police Department for 5 years. He had previously served as a correctional officer for the Hillsborough County Department of Corrections for 6 years. During his time as a correctional officer, he also served as a part-time officer with the Epsom Police Department. He is survived by his wife, two sons, parents, and three sisters.