Winston-Salem Police Department, North Carolina
End of Watch: Tuesday, February 28, 1995
Age: 24
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Badge Number: 481
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 27, 1995
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Officer Stephen Amos was shot and killed while he and another officer were responding to a call of shots fired. Officer Amos and his partner were traveling to a training session when they heard a call for shots fired in a nearby apartment complex. Officer Amos drove their patrol car onto the street when they encountered sniper fire. He positioned the patrol car to block traffic and got out to take cover.
As Officer Amos exited the patrol car, the sniper fired and the round went through the car and struck him. Other officers were able to move Officer Amos out of the line of fire and transport him to a local hospital where he succumbed from his wounds the next day. The suspect was sentenced to death and was scheduled to be executed on February 27, 2004 until a U.S. District Court Judge issued an indefinite stay of execution. The suspected died in prison on December 5, 2008.
Police Officer Stephen Amos is survived by his wife, brother and parents.
In September 2018, U.S. 158 over North Beltway Drive, was renamed to Officer Stephen Levi Amos II Bridge and was selected because of his nearby childhood home.