Bio & Incident Details
Age: 32
Tour: 10 years
Badge # 001
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 4/8/1971
Weapon: Rifle; .22 caliber
Suspect: Captured and convicted
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Chief Vandermate was shot and killed while responding to a burglary call at a tavern on Main Street. He observed the suspect inside the tavern when he arrived and ordered him to surrender. The teenage suspect opened fire with a .22 caliber rifle and mortally wounded the chief. Chief Vandermate was able to crawl back to his patrol car and turned on the siren to get the attention of nearby citizens who took him to a local hospital. He succumbed to his wounds the following day. The suspect was caught and convicted, but served less than 20 years.
Chief Vandermate was survived by his wife and four children.
