Tpr. George R. Branny was killed by gunfire while he and his partner were investigating a report of an armed man attacking a woman on the north side of Lansing, Michigan.
Trooper Branny and his partner received a request for assistance at 4:30 p.m. They responded and were advised a neighbor had attempted to attack a woman and had displayed a gun. The officers approached the suspect’s home and, while standing on both sides of the doorway, knocked and requested admittance.
There was no response and the knock was repeated. Trooper Branny looked in a window near the door and immediately died when a shotgun blast was fired through the window from within.
Several shots were exchanged between the subject and the back-up units before the suspect took his own life.
Trooper Branny was the 16th MSP officer to die in the line of duty.