In the line of duty, Detective Lynn Russell Sutter, a 41-year-old male, tragically lost his life on March 28, 1987. A veteran of the Bethel Park Police Department for 19 years, he was deeply involved in an undercover drug operation as part of a multi-agency task force. The fatal incident occurred during a drug raid on Segar Road in Mount Lebanon Township.
Detective Sutter, along with another officer, had successfully apprehended a suspect in the basement of the residence.
As they were escorting the individual up the stairs to the kitchen, a fellow officer positioned in the kitchen mistook Detective Sutter for a suspect and discharged his weapon. The single gunshot wound proved to be critical.
He was immediately transported to Allegheny General Hospital for emergency medical treatment. Despite the efforts of the medical staff, Detective Sutter succumbed to his injuries two days after the shooting. His death was a devastating blow to his family, which included his father and siblings, and to the law enforcement community he had served for nearly two decades. The event was officially classified as a tragic case of friendly fire, and as such, there were no arrests or criminal suspects.
