Miami Police Department, Florida
End of Watch: Wednesday, September 2, 1981
Age: 23
Tour of Duty: 8 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 2, 1981
Weapon Used: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Police Officer Nathaniel Broom was shot and killed during a foot pursuit while attempting a traffic stop near the intersection of NW 2nd Avenue and NW 11th Street.
He and his partner were on their way to the radio shop to replace a defective radio when they observed a vehicle travel the wrong way down a one-way street. The vehicle came to a stop and all three suspects jumped out and ran.
Officer Broom stopped his vehicle in a way that prevented his partner from exiting and went in foot pursuit of one of the suspects. As he turned a corner in a building the subject shot him in the chest, killing him instantly. His partner was not able to call for backup due to the faulty radio.
Fingerprints on the car led to the suspect's arrest two days later. He was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death March 4th, 1982. The subject died in prison in January 2014 while still awaiting execution.
Officer Broom was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Miami Police Department for eight months. He is survived by his parents and sister.