New Jersey Department of Corrections, New Jersey
End of Watch: Monday, February 28, 1972
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: 14 years
Badge Number: 17
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: February 28, 1972
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Shank
Suspect Info: Deceased
Corrections Sergeant Donald Bourne was killed when an inmate stabbed him at the Trenton State Prison (now known as New Jersey State Prison).
Sergeant Bourne was guarding the prison mess hall when the inmate attacked him, stabbing him in the chest. Sergeant Bourne was taken to the hospital, where he died from his wounds. The inmate was charged with murder and sentenced to life in prison.
The inmate was serving a 15-year sentence for armed robbery and had been transferred from Rahway State Prison (now known as East Jersey State Prison) to Trenton State Prison after stabbing an officer in Rahway. That officer recovered from his wounds.
The subject who murdered Sergeant Bourne died on February 8th, 2013, after serving 40 years of his life term in the New Jersey State Prison.
Sergeant Bourne served with the New Jersey Department of Corrections for 14 years. He is survived by his wife and two sons.