Hallandale Beach Police Department, Florida
End of Watch Friday, July 27, 1973
Add to My HeroesAustin Hepburn, Jr.
Officer Austin Hepburn was shot and killed by a man in a stolen vehicle in front of 516 NW Sixth Street.
He observed two men and a juvenile attempting to change the license plate on the car. As he approached the group, one of the men grabbed him. A second suspect exited the car and shot him with both loads of a double-barreled shotgun.
Two suspects, 16 and 18, were apprehended three hours later. The 25-year-old killer was apprehended the next day in Waycross, Georgia, by state troopers. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled on September 28, 2001. Charges against the other two were dropped.
Officer Hepburn was a Vietnam War veteran and served two years with the Hallandale Beach Police Department.
Bio
- Age 26
- Tour 2 years
- Badge Not available
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge
- Offender Paroled in 2001
Most Recent Reflection
View all 21 ReflectionsI lived on NW 1st Court in Hallandale through high school and my brothers and neighborhood friends used to play basketball on the street where my Dad (who was a police detective for Miami Metro Dade County) put up a backboard & hoop on the light pole. Officer Hepburn would often stop to chit chat & shoot a bucket or two. I was just starting my freshman year at the U.S. Naval Academy when he was tragically killed in the line of duty. It was a very sad day for us all on !st Court.
RIP Officer Hepburn! God bless you always.
Daniel R. Shinego, Commander, USN (ret)
citizen
April 24, 2022
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