Officer Joseph Brodnick
San Francisco Police Department
California
End of Watch: Thursday, May 1, 1969

Biographical Info
Age: Not available
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Thursday, May 1, 1969
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Acquitted

Officer Joseph Brodnick was shot and killed when he and his partner stopped two suspicious youths on Alvarado Street.

Officer Brodnick and his partner were working a burglary suppression unit, in plain clothes, and were operating an unmarked car in the Mission District.

The suspects were part of a larger group of seven juveniles, and they had just committed a daytime burglary. One of the youths grabbed Officer Brodnick's partner's gun and shot Officer Brodnick, killing him. His partner sustained severe injuries from being beaten by the juveniles.

Six suspects were arrested and acquitted at trial. The seventh suspect fled the country. The suspect believed to have killed Officer Brodnick was later killed in prison. He had been sent to prison for committing an armed robbery in which he was shot and wounded by a San Francisco police officer.

Officer Brodnick is survived by his wife and three children. One of Officer Brodnick's sons later became a San Francisco police officer.