Headstone of Lawrence Gorman

Lawrence Gorman

1960

Lawrence W. Gorman.

How He Died
Manner Homicide
Cause Gunshot wound
Mechanism Firearm
What Happened
Patrolman Lawrence Gorman was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two burglary suspects in Kendall Square in Cambridge. He observed the two men breaking into the Symmes Restaurant at 254 Maine Street and tried to arrest them when they opened fire, mortally wounding him. He was able to return fire and wound one of the suspects in the leg, who was taken into custody. On May 14th, 1961, the captured suspect, aided by his accomplice, escaped from the Middlesex County Jail along with another inmate. With a smuggled handgun he shot and killed Jail Master David S. Robinson. Three days later he shot and killed himself when police stormed a Boston apartment where he was hiding. His accomplice and the other escapee were captured a short time later. On September 24th, 1961, his accomplice was convicted of Patrolman Gorman's murder and sentenced to death. The sentence was later commuted to life. Patrolman Gorman was a United States Navy World War II veteran and served with the Cambridge Police Department for eight years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
Photograph of Lawrence Gorman
Photograph of Lawrence Gorman
Service Record
Also Served
Cambridge Police Department
Patrolman
In Our Keeping
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Record added August 2, 2026 neuraweb.nw
Stewarded by neuraweb.nw
Last updated August 2, 2026

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