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Patrolman

Lawrence Stefane

New York City Police Department — New York, NY

Felonious

End of Watch May 28, 1970

Age 22

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Badge 2420

The Vigil Panel 106 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 1,221

Incident

Patrolman Lawrence Stefane was stabbed to death after being attacked by a man suffering from a mental health issue. Patrolman Stefane and his partner were sitting in their police vehicle when a man approached and tapped on the window. When Patrolman Stefane rolled it down, the man said "all of you pigs need to be dead", and then leaned in and stabbed him in the chest with a butcher's carving knife. As he pushed his partner out of harms way, he shot his assailant twice critically wounding him and then lost consciousness. Patrolman Stefane was transported to a local hospital by his partner where he succumbed to his injuries. The suspect, 22, had been released from a psychiatric hospital two days earlier. Two years earlier he had attacked another New York officer with a knife and was shot 8 times by that officer and his fellow officers before he was subdued. He had a long criminal record stating that during the 10 prior arrests he attacked the arresting officer every time. His mother was so afraid of him, she moved to another state. His neighbors would not let their kids play outside. New York Mayor John V. Lindsay asked the hospital why they let him out. They said he stopped showing signs of insanity. Their explanation satisfied no one including the mayor. He was convicted of Patrolman Stefane's murder and sentenced to life in prison with no parole. In 2010 he was transferred to a mental hospital where he died in 2013. Patrolman Stefane had served with the New York City Police Department for three years and was assigned to the 9th Precinct.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, parents, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: 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.
Patrolman Stefane gave the New York City Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Stefane.

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

Agency

Department New York City Police Department

Type Police Department

Location New York, NY

Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 28, 1970

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 22

Badge Number 2420

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1970, 138 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 29th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Lawrence was 22. 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. Lawrence had served 3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded