Colorado Department of Corrections, Colorado
End of Watch: Monday, January 22, 1900
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: January 22, 1900
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Knife
Suspect Info: Killed by citizens
Captain William Rooney was killed when he was stabbed in the heart during a prison escape of four inmates at the Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City.
Two of the suspects were apprehended three days later and the third was apprehended one day after that. When the third man, Captain Rooney's killer, was being returned to prison an angry mob of citizens took control of him and hanged him from a telephone pole. The fourth suspect remains at large.
Captain Rooney was survived by his wife. It is believed he is buried in Cortez, Colorado.