Oak Park Department of Public Safety, Michigan
End of Watch: Sunday, December 28, 2008
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: 1200
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 28, 2008
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Public Safety Officer Mason Samborski was shot and killed while conducting an investigation following a traffic stop.
He had stopped a juvenile subject, and when the juvenile did not have a license, he took him to the Rue Versailles Apartment Complex to drop him off with an adult. After arriving at the location, Officer Samborski realized that the subject had taken him to a friend's apartment and not his residence; he stated that he would take him to jail unless he took him to his home. The juvenile tried to flee, and a scuffle ensued. They fell down a flight of stairs, and the subject grabbed Officer Samborski's gun and shot him. The suspect fled the scene with Officer Samborski's service weapon and was apprehended the following day.
The suspect was found guilty of first-degree murder on November 19, 2010. He was sentenced to life without parole on December 16, 2010. In 2016 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the defendants, who were juveniles at the time of their crime and were sentenced to life without parole, was cruel and unusual and ordered new sentences for all who were. In 2022, he was resentenced to 40 to 70 years. He is eligible for parole in 2050.
Officer Samborski had served with the Oak Park Police Department for 4 years. He is survived by his wife, child, parents, brother, and sister.