| Officer Michael Saffran End of Watch October 8, 2005 |
Officer Saffran was 45 years old and a US Navy veteran. He had
served with the Chesapeake Police Department for 11 months. He is
survived by his wife and two children.
Officer Michael Saffran was shot and killed on October 8th after
responding to a bank robbery call at the Bank of Hampton Roads
located at 852 N. George Washington Hwy in the City of Chesapeake.
The call had originally come in at 9:50 am as an alarm activation at the
bank.
Chesapeake Police Dispatch had contacted employees inside the
bank and was able to confirm that a robbery was in progress. When
Officer Saffran arrived on the scene, he observed a vehicle
speeding away and he immediately began pursuing it. The suspect
vehicle crashed a short distance away in a sharp curve at the end of
Old George Washington Hwy. As Officer Saffran exited his vehicle,
the suspect pulled a hostage from the car. The suspect was armed
with a gun and had the weapon pointed at the hostage. When the
hostage broke free, the suspect and officers on scene exchanged
gunfire.
The suspect, Officer Saffran, and the hostage were all struck by the
gunfire. The suspect died at the scene. Officer Saffran and a female
hostage were transported to Norfolk General Hospital. Officer
Saffran died as a result
of the injuries sustained.
The suspect was 43 year old Larry Donnell Blount of Chesapeake.
Blount had an extensive criminal history and had been released from
parole the previous month.
served with the Chesapeake Police Department for 11 months. He is
survived by his wife and two children.
Officer Michael Saffran was shot and killed on October 8th after
responding to a bank robbery call at the Bank of Hampton Roads
located at 852 N. George Washington Hwy in the City of Chesapeake.
The call had originally come in at 9:50 am as an alarm activation at the
bank.
Chesapeake Police Dispatch had contacted employees inside the
bank and was able to confirm that a robbery was in progress. When
Officer Saffran arrived on the scene, he observed a vehicle
speeding away and he immediately began pursuing it. The suspect
vehicle crashed a short distance away in a sharp curve at the end of
Old George Washington Hwy. As Officer Saffran exited his vehicle,
the suspect pulled a hostage from the car. The suspect was armed
with a gun and had the weapon pointed at the hostage. When the
hostage broke free, the suspect and officers on scene exchanged
gunfire.
The suspect, Officer Saffran, and the hostage were all struck by the
gunfire. The suspect died at the scene. Officer Saffran and a female
hostage were transported to Norfolk General Hospital. Officer
Saffran died as a result
of the injuries sustained.
The suspect was 43 year old Larry Donnell Blount of Chesapeake.
Blount had an extensive criminal history and had been released from
parole the previous month.