In the late summer of 1996, a dedicated police officer, James Russell Sorrow, a 26-year-old White / Caucasian male, tragically lost his life in the line of duty in Greenville, South Carolina. On September 19th, Officer Sorrow was attempting to serve a felony warrant on a 20-year-old suspect. The young man fled on foot, leading the officer on a determined pursuit.
The chase ended tragically at the corner of Gower and Endel Streets, where the suspect laid in wait, ambushing Officer Sorrow from behind a shed.
The suspect, identified as Joseph Sheppard, opened fire on the unsuspecting officer, striking him multiple times. Officer Sorrow was hit twice in the face, once in the buttocks, and four times in the back of the head. He had not even drawn his own weapon. A bystander who witnessed the horrific event immediately called for help, prompting a massive manhunt for the shooter. For six days, law enforcement searched tirelessly for Sheppard, who was eventually located and apprehended at a local motel.
The community and the Greenville Police Department mourned the loss of Officer Sorrow, who had served for four years and left behind a wife and a five-month-old son. In the spring following his death, the department retired his badge and locker and established the Russ Sorrow Award in his honor to commemorate his sacrifice. In October of 1997, justice was served when Joseph Sheppard was tried and convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the ambush and execution-style killing of Officer James Russell Sorrow.
