Lawrence J. Bromm
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Detective

Lawrence J. Bromm

Felonious
End of Watch February 13, 2022
Age 70
Tour of Duty 42 yrs
The Vigil Panel 179 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Larry Bromm succumbed to gunshot wounds when he was shot on December 21, 1977, while he was investigating a traffic crash at Flatbush Avenue at Bergen Street.

A retired NYPD detective had been in a minor fender bender at 1:15 p.m., and Detective Bromm and his partner arrived on the scene to investigate. While his partner was interviewing one of the drivers, a subject wearing a ski mask walked up to the retired detective and shot him. Then he shot Detective Bromm, who was sitting in the patrol car writing the crash report. Detective Bromm did not have time to pull his gun before he was ambushed. The subject stopped to reload and shot Detective Bromm's partner.

Other officers in the area chased after the subject, and a shootout ensued. The subject finally collapsed at 36 Fifth Avenue after wounding another officer. Responding officers took the three wounded officers and retired detective to Methodist Hospital. The retired detective died from gunshot wounds to his side and back. Detective Bromm's partner, who was shot in the leg, and the responding officer, who was shot in the arm, survived their wounds. Detective Bromm suffered damage to his lungs, stomach, liver, right kidney, and spine. The bullet damaged his spinal cord, leaving him paralyzed.

The subject believed that the police were in the area looking for him. He was a suspect in six bank robberies and the murder of a bank employee. A few days before the ambush, Brooklyn homicide detectives were searching for him and had just sworn out an arrest warrant for his arrest.

Detective Bromm remained paralyzed until he passed away from complications of his gunshot wounds.

Detective Bromm had served with the New York City Police Department for 42 years, assigned to the 78th Precinct. He received a Medal of Honor in 1978.

Survivors

He is survived by his son and brother.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

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Tributes

42 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Bromm gave the New York City Police Department 42 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Bromm.

— 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 February 13, 2022
Tour of Duty 42 yrs
Age 70
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2022, 79 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 86th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Lawrence was 70. 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 42 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Lawrence J. Bromm

New York City Police Department · End of Watch February 13, 2022

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 24-E

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