In the late summer of 2002, the city of Detroit lost one of its own in a sudden and violent act. Scott T. Stewart, IV, a 31-year-old male Detroit Police Officer, was on duty on August 11, 2002, when he and his partner responded to a call. The report detailed a group of men gambling on a sidewalk in the area of the 11200 block of Corbette.
Upon their arrival, the officers began to investigate.
It was during this time that Officer Stewart discovered one of the men was in possession of a concealed handgun. As he moved to arrest and handcuff the individual, another man approached him from behind. Without warning, this second individual fired a single, fatal shot to Officer Stewart's head. The suddenness of the attack left no time for a reaction.
Officer Stewart was rushed to St. John Hospital, but the severity of his wound was too great. He succumbed to his injury several hours later, his five-year career with the Detroit Police Department brought to a tragic end. In the immediate aftermath, the shooter fled the scene, sparking an intense search.
The following day, the man responsible for Officer Stewart's death turned himself in to the authorities. His subsequent trial resulted in a conviction for first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would never again have the freedom to inflict such a devastating loss on another family or community. Officer Stewart, a U.S. Army veteran, was survived by his fiancée, who was also a Detroit Police Officer, as well as his parents and two sisters.
