In the late summer of 1993, Norman E. Spruiel, a 43-year-old male police officer with the Detroit Police Department, was deeply involved in a grim undercover murder investigation. A dedicated officer with 15 years of service, he and his partner were conducting surveillance, trying to locate two suspects wanted for the murder and subsequent mutilation of two young men.
On the night of Monday, September 13, 1993, after finishing their surveillance, the two officers drove to a dead-end street on Prairie Street, south of Lyndon, to compare their notes.
As Officer Spruiel stood outside his unmarked patrol car, the quiet of the night was shattered by the sound of gunfire. He was struck twice in the back by a man who was not connected to the murder case they were investigating. The shooter later claimed he was unaware that the two men were police officers and believed they were planning to rob his brother's nearby body shop. The weapon used in the attack was a rifle.
Despite the immediate medical attention and a valiant fight for his life, Officer Norman E. Spruiel succumbed to his gunshot wounds three weeks after the shooting. His death was a profound loss to his family, including his wife and three children, and to the Detroit Police Department. The man responsible for the fatal shooting was subsequently apprehended and faced the justice system. He was convicted of Officer Spruiel's murder and received a sentence of 85 years in prison for his actions.
