Detective Lawrence J. Bromm

Lawrence J. Bromm

Detective Larry Bromm succumbed to gunshot wounds when he was shot on December 21, 1977, while he was investigating a traffic crash at Flatbush Avenue at Bergen Street.

A retired NYPD detective had been in a minor fender bender at 1:15 p.m., and Detective Bromm and his partner arrived on the scene to investigate. While his partner was interviewing one of the drivers, a subject wearing a ski mask walked up to the retired detective and shot him. Then he shot Detective Bromm, who was sitting in the patrol car writing the crash report. Detective Bromm did not have time to pull his gun before he was ambushed. The subject stopped to reload and shot Detective Bromm's partner.

Other officers in the area chased after the subject, and a shootout ensued. The subject finally collapsed at 36 Fifth Avenue after wounding another officer. Responding officers took the three wounded officers and retired detective to Methodist Hospital. The retired detective died from gunshot wounds to his side and back. Detective Bromm's partner, who was shot in the leg, and the responding officer, who was shot in the arm, survived their wounds. Detective Bromm suffered damage to his lungs, stomach, liver, right kidney, and spine. The bullet damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed.

The subject believed that the police were in the area looking for him. He was a suspect in six bank robberies and the murder of a bank employee. A few days before the ambush, Brooklyn homicide detectives were searching for him and had just sworn out an arrest warrant for his arrest.

Detective Bromm remained paralyzed until he passed away from complications of his gunshot wounds.

Detective Bromm had served with the New York City Police Department for 42 years, assigned to the 78th Precinct. He received a Medal of Honor in 1978. He is survived by his son and brother.