Robert B. Laurenson
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Police Officer

Robert B. Laurenson

Felonious
End of Watch June 2, 1973
Age 23
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 5 mo
The Vigil Panel 112 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Robert Laurenson was shot and killed while taking action during a robbery of a bar. Officer Laurenson and two other plainclothes officers stopped at a bar after finishing their tour. A man armed with a shotgun entered the bar, located at 155 Amsterdam Avenue, shortly before 3:00 am and announced a robbery. The subject walked towards the back and ordered the three officers to the ground as two accomplices walked into the door. The man then ordered the officers to hand over their wallets. Officer Laurenson attempted to run towards the two men in the door when he was shot in the chest. The three suspects then fled on foot as the other two officers fired at them. Two of them escaped in a getaway car driven by a fourth accomplice while the other got into a cab. During the next few weeks all four were arrested and charged with his murder. One, 21, was convicted of murder and sentenced to 8.5 to 25 years. He was paroled on October 5, 1981, and ordered to leave New York and return to his home in South Carolina. In May of 1984 he was returned to prison after he was stopped in a stolen car in New York. He was released nine months later. On June 12, 1985 he was arrested in the Bronx after he robbed a man of $10.00. Officer Laurenson had served with the New York City Police Department for 2-1/2 years and was assigned to the 20th Precinct. His wife and 2-year-old daughter survived him.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Laurenson gave the New York City Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Laurenson.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 2, 1973
Tour of Duty 2 yrs 5 mo
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1973, 171 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 17th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 23. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Robert had served 2.4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Robert B. Laurenson

New York City Police Department · End of Watch June 2, 1973

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 34-E

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