In the quiet town of Crown Point, New York, a domestic disturbance call on the morning of February 11, 2002, ended in a tragic loss of life. New York State Trooper Lawrence P. Gleason, a 28-year-old male, was the first to respond to the residence of Amanda Olcott. She had reported being threatened by her ex-boyfriend, James Scharpf.
Trooper Gleason was in the process of interviewing Olcott inside her home when Scharpf returned.
Without warning, Scharpf fired a high-powered rifle into the house from the outside. One of the rounds tragically struck Trooper Gleason, inflicting a fatal wound. Having served with the New York State Police for just nine months, the young officer's life was cut short in the line of duty.
Following the shooting of Trooper Gleason, the situation escalated further. Scharpf then forced his way into the home where he proceeded to murder Amanda Olcott. After taking the lives of both Trooper Gleason and his former girlfriend, James Scharpf then took his own life. The incident, which unfolded in a matter of moments, left a lasting scar on the community and the law enforcement fraternity. There were no subsequent arrests or trials as the sole suspect in the double murder-suicide was deceased at the scene.
