On a hot August afternoon in Binghamton, New York, Police Officer Lee Barta, a 29-year-old male, was engaged in the search for a fugitive. The date was August 3, 1995, and Barta, along with his fellow officers, was tracking 19-year-old Edmond Travis III, who had fled from a work-release program. Acting on a tip that Travis had been seen at a residence on Liberty Street, the officers proceeded to search the house.
The seemingly routine search took a tragic turn when Travis, who had been
concealed in a closet, suddenly emerged and began shooting. Officer Barta was struck by the gunfire and fatally wounded. A veteran of the United States Marine Corps, Barta had served on the Binghamton Police Force for four years and had previously been with the Broome County Sheriff's Office. At the time of his death, he and his wife were expecting their second son.
Following the shooting of Officer Barta, a large-scale manhunt was initiated to locate Edmond Travis III. The search involved numerous law enforcement officers and was aided by local residents who reported sightings of the suspect. Approximately seven hours after the fatal shooting, authorities tracked Travis to the basement of a house on a nearby street. As police closed in and surrounded the location, Travis died by suicide. In the years following his death, Officer Barta's memory has been honored in the community, notably with the establishment of the Lee Barta Community Center, which serves residents in the neighborhood where he lost his life.
