Bio & Incident Details
Age: 40
Tour: Not available
Badge # Not available
Cause: Gunfire
Incident Date: 4/26/1877
Weapon: Handgun; Revolver
Suspect: Executed in 1878
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Substitute Officer Charles Coots was shot and killed after arresting a suspect for disorderly behavior.
Officer Coots was walking the Pine Street beat and was called to a house to quiet a disturbance. Officer Coots moved two suspects along and resumed his patrol. Officer Coots was later called to another disturbance involving the two suspects. He placed one suspect under arrest and while he was walking the suspect to the City Hall Police Station, he was shot and killed by the second suspect at the corner of Brenham Place and Clay Street.
Both suspects were captured and charged with murder. The suspect who fired the shot at Officer Coots was executed by hanging on April 26th, 1878, exactly one year after the murder.
Officer Coots was survived by his wife and several children.
