Officer Bret Nathan Sunner, 25, was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in Cedar Rapids on the night of June 8, 1984. Sunner had served three years with the Cedar Rapids Police Department and earned eight letters of commendation; he was described as having a quick smile, ready wit, and fierce dedication.

Officers were warned the 45-year-old suspect, Leonard Berg, was armed with a 12-gauge shotgun. Berg moved into a backyard, and as Sunner and colleagues tried to use a neighbor’s garage for cover and advance, Sunner was struck by a fatal shotgun blast. Berg also fired at a police car, wounding Officer William Hansy with shrapnel, before other officers subdued and disarmed him.

Berg was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder and held on $550,000 bond. Officer Sunner was survived by his parents and two sisters. Does anyone have memories of Officer Sunner or information about the incident to share?