In the early morning hours of Monday, February 18, 1952, a dedicated White male police officer named William Swafford was on patrol in Petersburg, Virginia. At approximately 1:30 a.m., his attention was drawn to a burglary in progress on North Sycamore Street. Acting swiftly, Officer Swafford attempted to block the suspect's vehicle with his own patrol car, but the suspect rammed his vehicle in an attempt to escape.
Undeterred, Officer Swafford leaped onto the running board of the
fleeing car and grappled for the steering wheel. This heroic act caused the vehicle to crash through a store window at 128 N. Sycamore Street. In the ensuing struggle, the suspect managed to gain control of Officer Swafford's own handgun and tragically shot and killed him.
For three weeks, the 28-year-old suspect remained at large. Law enforcement, including FBI agents, pursued him, and he was finally apprehended in New York City. Following his capture, the suspect was brought to justice. He was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder and received a sentence of 18 years in prison. An additional eight years were added to his sentence for the burglary charge. At the time of his death, Officer Swafford had served with the Petersburg Police Department for three years and was survived by his wife and three children.
