Bio & Incident Details
Age: 26
Tour: Not available
Badge # Not available
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 7/31/1933
Weapon: Rifle
Suspect: Released after 10 years
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Detective Ernest Purgatoria was shot and killed while he and several other officers investigated a call at a local hotel.
An elderly man was believed to have a young girl in his room and the girl's father wanted the police to retrieve her. When the detectives knocked on the man's door and identified themselves, he replied that he would shoot the first person through the door. One of the officers returned to the police station to obtain tear gas and then returned to the scene.
The officers kicked the door in, but the man stuck a rifle through the opened door and fired a shot, striking Detective Purgatoria. The man then climbed down a rope ladder to another room and then exited to the hotel lobby where he was arrested by other officers.
The suspect was convicted of manslaughter and served 10 years in prison.
