On a late summer evening, just as their shift was about to end, Arlington County Police Officer George Leighton Pomraning, age 26, and his partner stopped at a 7-11 on Columbia Pike. There, they encountered a 19-year-old and his two friends who had just shoplifted merchandise valued at 97 cents. The officers had the young man go back into the store to pay for the items. However, when they attempted to arrest him and asked for his name, a struggle broke out. It was believed the suspect was under the influence of drugs, which made a thorough search difficult.
The officers managed to get the suspect into the back of their police cruiser. Officer Pomraning sat in the back with the individual to transport him. As they drove near the intersection of 8th Street and South George Mason Drive, the suspect produced a hidden. 38 caliber handgun. He fired the weapon, shooting Officer Pomraning three times and also wounding his partner, Officer Gerald Dawson, in the leg. Officer Pomraning was mortally wounded and later died from his injuries at Arlington Hospital on September 2, 1973. He had served with the Arlington County Police Department for four years and was survived by his wife and son.
The suspect was subsequently apprehended, convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison for the killing of Officer Pomraning. Though he became eligible for parole in 2023, he reportedly had no interest in applying for it. The death of Officer George Pomraning remains a tragic event in the history of the Arlington County Police Department, a loss felt by his family, friends, and fellow officers.
