Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Michael Chiapperini was shot and killed while responding to a house fire at a home on Lake Road in Webster.
Lieutenant Chiapperini had responded to the fire as as a volunteer firefighter and was on the first piece of apparatus to arrive at the scene. As he and the other volunteer firefighters exited the pumper truck to start fighting the fire, a subject opened fire on them from an ambush position. Lieutenant Chiapperini immediately assessed the situation and began providing tactical direction to the other firefighters to take cover. He then maneuvered through the fire truck's cab and began moving on foot towards the shooter's location as the other responders took cover.
As he made his way towards the subject he was shot in the head and fatally wounded.
The subject held other responding officers at bay for several hours until finally committing suicide.
Volunteer Firefighter Tomasz Kaczowka was also shot and killed by the subject.
Lieutenant Chiapperini had served with the Webster Police Department for 20 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-5824E6B6- 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
20 years. You could have gone home.
Lieutenant Chiapperini gave the Webster Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Webster community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Chiapperini.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Lieutenant Michael John "Chip" Chiapperini 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 NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael John "Chip" Chiapperini's cause is highlighted.
How Michael John "Chip" Chiapperini Compares
Offender Outcome
Committed suicide
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Michael John "Chip" Chiapperini is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Michael John "Chip" Chiapperini was killed by rifle.