Scott Lee Severns

South Bend Police Dept. — South Bend, IN

Felonious

End of Watch April 23, 2006

Age 36

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 154 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Corporal Scott Severns succumbed to gunshot wounds suffered two days earlier while attempting to take police action during a robbery when he was off duty.

Corporal Severns was walking to his car with a friend when two men approached and attempted to rob them. One man was armed with a handgun. Corporal Severns drew his gun and stepped in front of his friend while pushing her to the ground as one suspect started firing. He managed to return fire, wounding the suspect, but not before suffering several bullet wounds himself. Corporal Severns was taken to a local hospital where he died two days later.

Both suspects were apprehended following the shooting and charged with murder. The juvenile suspect who shot Corporal Severns was charged as an adult and later pleaded guilty to murder and attempted robbery. He was sentenced to 65 years with the opportunity of parole in 30 years. The other suspect was convicted of attempted robbery and sentenced to 45 years. His sentence was later reduced to 30 years.

Corporal Severns was a third-generation officer with the South Bend Police Department and had served for eight years.

Survivors

He is survived by his parents, sister, and half-brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IN-0BDD4BE8
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.
Corporal Severns gave the South Bend Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the South Bend community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Corporal Severns.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department South Bend Police Dept.

Location South Bend, IN

Platform Identity sbpd.stjoseph.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 23, 2006

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Sentenced to 65 years

Corporal Scott Lee Severns 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At South Bend Police Dept., 11 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 73.3% of this agency's fallen.

South Bend Police Dept.

of 15 officers

73.3% Felonious

IN — Statewide

311

of 503 officers

61.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious