Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Geoffrey Breitkopf was accidentally shot and killed after being mistaken for a suspect by another police officer.
Officers from the Nassau County Police Department and an officer from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department responded to a call in Massapequa Park of a man running through the neighborhood armed with several knifes. After locating the suspect, they chased him on foot into a house, where the suspect barricaded himself inside a room. The officers removed the other occupants of the house and were inside when the suspect exited and charged at the officers with a knife in his hand. The officers shot and killed the suspect.
Officer Breitkopf, who was in plainclothes, responded to back-up the officers. He arrived at the scene just after the suspect had been shot and killed. He approached the house holding a rifle and was mistaken for a suspect by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority police officer, who then shot Officer Breitkopf.
Officer Breitkopf was taken to Nassau University Medical Center where he died from his wound.
Officer Breitkopf had served with the Nassau County Police Department for 12 years. He was assigned to the Bureau of Special Operations.
Officer Breitkopf is survived by his wife and two children.
Survivors
Officer Breitkopf is survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-72D01021- 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 Breitkopf gave the Nassau County Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Mineola community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Breitkopf.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Geoffrey J. Breitkopf is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Nassau County Police Department, 21 of 51 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 41.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Geoffrey J. Breitkopf's cause is highlighted.
How Geoffrey J. Breitkopf Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Geoffrey J. Breitkopf is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
50 officers from Nassau County Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
