Delaware Department of Correction, Delaware
End of Watch Thursday, February 2, 2017
Add to My HeroesSteven Romell Floyd, Sr.
Lieutenant Steven Floyd was killed during a 20-hour hostage situation at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Smyrna, Delaware.
A large group of inmates took Lieutenant Floyd and three other prison employees hostage during a riot in Building C. A tactical response team made entry into the prison approximately 20 hours later and located Lieutenant Floyd's body. The other prison employees were rescued.
Approximately 120 inmates housed in Building C at the time remained in custody.
On November 20th, 2018, the riot's leader was convicted of first-degree felony murder.
Lieutenant Floyd, a U.S. Army veteran, had served with the Delaware Department of Correction for 16 years. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on Friday, February 3rd, 2017.
Bio
- Age 47
- Tour 16 years
- Badge Not available
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Assault
- Weapon Person
- Offender Convicted of murder
Most Recent Reflection
View all 323 ReflectionsLt., it's hard to believe it's been four years already. I still remember that day one of the other Detectives in the Major Crimes Unit coming over to me and telling me that word had been received that some of the inmates at JTVCC had possibly rioted. We were sitting there trying to find out more information when we had confirmed that there was in fact a "riot" and we subsequently started making our way down to the prison. But I don't think any of us had any idea as to what was actually occurring or what the next 24 hours was going to be like for any of us, let alone the next two years of media frenzy and "expert opinions" as to why this occurred.
While we will never positively and definitively know, at the time my fellow detectives and I were making our way to the prison, you were probably already deceased or at least close at the hands of these cowardly inmates, inmates who all hid behind the notion of brutality and mistreatment to carry out their well planned and coordinated attack. It's an eerie feeling to think back about the information we would later find out about the takeover and you specifically being attacked, all occurring while we were driving down with still largely unknown details as to what was transpiring. More than an eerie feeling, it's an absolute nauseating feeling, as I cannot begin to imagine what was going through your mind and thoughts at that time. What I do know, as we all know, is that your actions that day were nothing short of amazing and heroic and absolutely saved the lives of other Officer's and prison personnel.
My role in this was small in the overall scheme of things, but this incident was something that will never, ever leave me! It was gut wrenching to think of what you and the other officers went through and it was a helpless feeling all the way around knowing what you endured and what your family would have to endure. Hero is not a strong enough or properly defining word to describe you and your actions that day, but no word can properly do that. I hope your family is doing as well as to be expected and I hope they always take some sort of comfort knowing that your service and sacrifice will never, ever be forgotten by your law enforcement brethren. God Speed sir and rest in peace always, and may God always bless your family, friends and the men and women of the Delaware Department of Corrections.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven RizzoDelaware State Police (Retired)
February 2, 2021
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