Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Sawyers died of wounds he received the previous day when he was shot while sitting in his patrol car.
Officer Sawyers had just finished investigating a traffic accident and parked his patrol car in the parking lot of a shopping center at 15 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue. While Officer Sawyers was completing the paperwork for the accident, a vehicle pulled up next to his patrol car and a male armed with a shotgun opened fire, striking Officer Sawyers in the head. The suspect then stole Officer Sawyer's service weapon and fled.
Officer Sawyers was transported to St. John Macomb Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds the following morning.
The suspect's motive in the killing was to acquire a handgun. On July 25, 2004, the suspect was located in Jacksonville, Florida, after being featured on the television show America's Most Wanted. As a SWAT team of local deputies and U.S. marshals stormed the house the suspect committed suicide using Officer Sawyers' stolen service weapon.
Officer Sawyers had served with the Sterling Heights Police Department for seven months, and had previously served for three years with the Detroit Police Department.
Officer Sawyers had served with the Sterling Heights Police Department for seven months, and had previously served for three years with the Detroit Police Department.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-C191179C- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Sawyers gave the Sterling Heights Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sterling Heights community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Sawyers.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Mark Anthony Sawyers is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Sterling Heights Police Dept., 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Mark Anthony Sawyers's cause is highlighted.
How Mark Anthony Sawyers Compares
Offender Outcome
Committed suicide
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Mark Anthony Sawyers is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Mark Anthony Sawyers was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Sterling Heights Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
