Sergeant Anthony Joseph Gorman, aged 72, was a veteran of the Vietnam War and a retired U.S. Army Military Police officer who served with the Sugarcreek Borough Police Department in Pennsylvania for 20 years. On the night of April 4, 1997, Sergeant Gorman was investigating a suspicious vehicle in a church parking lot on Keely Road in Franklin, PA. Unbeknownst to him, the vehicle's occupant was responsible for several armed robberies in the area.
As Sergeant Gorman approached the vehicle, he was shot by the suspect just below his vest, striking him in the abdomen.
Despite returning fire, Sergeant Gorman did not hit the suspect, who fled the scene and was later arrested by authorities. Gorman was rushed to a hospital in Franklin and then life-flighted to a hospital in Pittsburgh. He underwent multiple hospitalizations and blood transfusions over the years due to complications from the gunshot wound. He medically retired in August 2000 but continued to suffer from health issues until his death on October 1, 2014, due to complications from the gunshot wound.
The suspect was sentenced to 17 to 50 years in prison for attempted murder and armed robbery. While in prison, the sentence was increased after the suspect attacked two corrections officers and retaliated against a witness. The suspect was found dead in his cell on March 10, 2015, at the State Correctional Institute in Albion, Pennsylvania.
Sergeant Gorman is survived by his wife and four children. His death was a tragic result of the injuries sustained during the line of duty, and he is remembered for his dedication and sacrifice.
