Sergeant Stanley Van Tuinen

Sergeant Stanley Van Tuinen | Grand Rapids Police Department, Michigan
Grand Rapids Police Department, Michigan
Sergeant Stanley Van Tuinen

Grand Rapids Police Department, Michigan

End of Watch Saturday, December 3, 1966

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Stanley Van Tuinen

Sergeant Van Tuinen was shot and killed while he and other officers attempted to arrest a man wanted for a shooting at a local bar near the intersection of Franklin Street and South Division Avenue.

Shortly after arriving at the subject's home on Madison Avenue near Prince Street officer spotted the subject with a gun through a window. After negotiations failed for the man to drop his weapon Sergeant Van Tuinen was about to enter the residence when the suspect opened fire with a shotgun, fatally wounding Sergeant Van Tuinen. The suspect was shot by other officers as he attempted to flee out of the rear of the house.

The suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on June 9, 1967. He died in prison on July 30, 1988.

Sergeant Van Tuinen served with the Grand Rapids Police Department for less than 14 years and was survived by his wife and six children. His brother and brother-in-law were Grand Rapids police officers.

Bio

  • Age 35
  • Tour 13 years, 11 months
  • Badge Not available

Incident Details

  • Cause Gunfire
  • Weapon Shotgun
  • Offender Died in prison
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I am still sad when I think of Sargent Van Tuinen. I was eighteen years old and was going to Grand Rapids Junior College after graduating from Central High School. I am an african american lady and at times wanted to be an officer. This experience scared me so much because this officer had a wife and some little children. I have over the years felt so sorry for this family and pray that the family has kept this fine officer in the forefront of their lives. He was a husband son and father and did not deserve to be gunned down like this. I have a f the pine son-in-law that is a captain in Kansas City and he is getting ready to retire at forty nine years of age with 30 years of service. I am so happy and pray his safety and pray for all the fine officers out there protecting us every day that they get to go home to their families at the end of the day. Let us all keep our law enforcers in our prayers daily because they are the ones that keep us all safe and deserve every praise we have to give. Pray for Peace in the World.

clementine h sparks

November 6, 2019

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