Officer Norvelle Brown was shot in an ambush at Semple Avenue and Martin Luther King Blvd. in North St. Louis by a 15-year-old suspect who had intended to kill a police officer.

On August 15, 2007 at 9:45 pm, Officer Brown, who had been working alone near Sherman Park, radioed that he had been shot. Responding officers found him in an alleyway just north of 1608 Semple Avenue. Officer Brown was wearing a bullet resistant vest, but the bullet entered through the arm opening. An undercover officer who quickly arrived at the scene, performed CPR and transported him to Barnes Jewish Hospital in the back of a squad car. An announcement was made at shortly after 11:00 pm that Officer Brown died from his injuries.

On August 17th, 2007, the 15-year-old male and an 18-year-old accomplice were arrested for the murder of Officer Brown.The suspect was certified as an adult and convicted first degree murder and sentenced to life without parole plus 50 years for armed criminal action.

Officer Brown served with the St. Louis Police Department for one year. Interred: Lake Charles Park Cemetery, Bel-Nor, MO.