Patrolman Gerald Lee Carpenter, Pontiac Police Department, Michigan

Patrolman Gerald Lee Carpenter

Pontiac Police Department, Michigan

End of Watch Tuesday, December 7, 1976

Gerald Lee Carpenter

Patrolman Gerald Carpenter was shot and killed at the Pontiac General Hospital while guarding a prisoner who had been wounded in a shootout the previous day.

A woman dressed as a nurse and a male accomplice arrived at the suspect's room in an attempt to free him. The woman overpowered the officer in the room, tied him up with bedsheets, and placed him in a bathroom.

Patrolman Carpenter became suspicious and entered the room with his gun drawn. He was shot by the woman but was able to return fire and killed the accomplice. The woman and the original suspect fled the scene but were arrested a short time later.

Patrolman Carpenter had served with the Pontiac Police Department for two years. He was survived by his wife.

Bio

Age 24
Tour 2 years
Badge 125

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Shot and killed

Most Recent Reflection

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I just found this posting of the shootings at Pontiac General Hospital 1976. I remember this clearly. I was a respiratory therapist at PGH when I exited the elevator on the 5th floor on my way to ICU to check on some patients. It was about 3am and I heard shots so I went to the nurses station and turned off the lights. The nurses station was enclosed but had windows. I looked down a hallway and saw an officer lying on the floor. Two others were already helping the officer but I joined in and used an AMBU bag for breathing and when someone was doing cardiac compressions I saw blood on his chest. Also, the male accomplice died after surgery. I called in sick the next day because I could not believe that kind of crap could happen in a hospital.

Tom R
retired

January 11, 2016