Bio & Incident Details
Age: 33
Tour: 8 years
Badge # Not available
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 4/5/1973
Weapon: Rifle
Suspect: Sentenced to life
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Officer John Summers was shot and killed while chasing a suspect who had been shooting at his wife and setting her house on fire.
Officer Summers and other officers had responded to the home on Westminster. Officer Summers chased the suspect across the street at which time several shots were fired. The suspect was taken into custody by other officers. After being unable to locate Officer Summers, it was realized that he never cleared back to duty and a search was begun for him. He was found in the back yard of a home with a bullet wound in which he bled to death from.
The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. He received an additional 40 years for arson.
Officer Summers was the first black police officer to be killed in the line of duty with his agency. He had been employed with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for eight years and is survived by his wife and three sons.
