Officer Austin Hepburn, Jr.

Officer Austin Hepburn, Jr.

Hallandale Beach Police Department, Florida

End of Watch Friday, July 27, 1973

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Austin 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

juvenile offender, stolen vehicle

Most Recent Reflection

View all 21 Reflections

I 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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