Police Officer George Leighton Pomraning, Jr., Arlington County Police Department, Virginia

Police Officer George Leighton Pomraning, Jr.

Arlington County Police Department, Virginia

End of Watch Sunday, September 2, 1973

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George Leighton Pomraning, Jr.

Officer George Pomraning was shot and killed near the intersection of 8th Street and South George Mason Drive while transporting a prisoner after making an arrest.

Officer Pomraning happened on a shoplifting at a 7-11 on Columbia Pike as he and his partner stopped that evening just before they were about to go off duty. The 19-year-old suspect and two of his friends had walked out of a convenience store without paying for 97 cents worth of merchandise. The officers had the suspect return to the store to pay for the merchandise, but a struggle ensued when the officers asked for the suspect's name during the arrest.

Officer Pomraning was sitting in the back of the cruiser with the suspect when the man pulled a gun that had been hidden. The suspect shot Officer Pomraning three times, mortally wounding him and wounding his partner in the leg.

The suspect was believed to be under the influence of drugs. He was convicted of 1st-degree murder and sentenced to life. He was up for parole in 2023, but he had no interest in applying.

Officer Pomraning had served with the Arlington County Police Department for four years. He is survived by his wife and son.

Bio

Age 26
Tour 4 years
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber
Offender Sentenced to life

arrest attempt, prisoner custody

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Most Recent Reflection

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I see there are a lot of fellow officers posted here - I'm not one, but a classmate of George from William Penn High School and grew up with him. I first knew him from our Sunday School class when I was 9 - there was a great group of kids, and we had a lot of good times and fun in our youth group. I remember those years as a more innocent and sweeter time - and if I can use the term/description - George was sweet! I think of him often over the years - we had one date when he asked me to go to the movie 2001 A Space Odessey - can't ever see that movie or hear something mentioned about it that I don't remember him. I never met who he married, but she had/has to be a very special girl, and it saddens me to know that he had a son who grew up without him - he would have been a super dad. I seem to recall that he wanted to be in the FBI, but I might be wrong about that, I'm sure the people in Va who knew him in later years know more of that than me. He deserved a long and happy life.

Barbara Anderson
Friend

July 23, 2025