Larry J. Vincent, a 29-year-old white male, tragically lost his life on January 14, 1983, in Chicago, IL. Officer Vincent was serving as a patrolman with the Chicago Police Department at the time of his death. On the evening of January 14, 1983, Officer Vincent and his partner, Patrolman George Lipinski, responded to a burglary in progress at a three-story apartment building located at 5131 South Calumet Avenue.
Upon arrival, Officer Vincent entered the building from the front while his partner went to the back. Shortly after, additional officers, Patrolman Clarence Spraggins and Patrolman Jackie Stewart, arrived to provide backup.
The officers confronted two suspects, Nicky Cozart, a 28-year-old Black male, and Darnell Davis, a 24-year-old Black male, in a first-floor hallway as they attempted to escape through a window. During the confrontation, the suspects leapt from the window, prompting Officers Vincent and Spraggins to fire at them. Cozart was grazed in the abdomen. In the chaos, one of the backup officers, mistakenly believing they were being fired upon by a third suspect, returned fire into the open window. Tragically, this resulted in Officer Vincent being struck in the right side of his face and Officer Spraggins being hit in the arm.
Officer Vincent and Officer Spraggins stumbled out of the building and collapsed in the snow. Despite immediate assistance from additional backup officers, Officer Vincent succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at Billings Hospital. Officer Spraggins was transported to Provident Hospital, where he eventually made a full recovery.
The suspects, Cozart and Davis, were captured outside the building and placed into custody. The incident was classified as a line-of-duty death, and the gunfire that resulted in Officer Vincent's death was determined to be accidental, caused by friendly fire. Officer Vincent had served with the Chicago Police Department for nearly three years and was a dedicated and respected officer. He was survived by his expectant wife, two sons, father, and uncle, both of whom also served with the Chicago Police Department.
