Winston-Salem Police Department, North Carolina
End of Watch: Saturday, January 15, 1994
Age: 23
Tour of Duty: 6 months
Badge Number: 541
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 15, 1994
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to death
Officer Robert Buitrago was shot and killed while attempting to stop a robbery at a grocery store where he was shopping, despite being unarmed.
The suspect, 38, was apprehended and sentenced to death. As of June 9, 2023, he remains on death row.
Officer Buitrago, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 4 years, had served with the Winston-Salem Police Department for only 6 months.