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Sergeant William T. Shanley | Chicago Police Department, Illinois
Chicago Police Department, Illinois

Sergeant

William T. Shanley

Chicago Police Department, Illinois

End of Watch: Thursday, December 14, 1933

Biographical Info

Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: 760

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 14, 1933
Weapon Used: Handgun; Revolver
Suspect Info: Murdered

Sergeant William Shanley was shot and killed while investigating reports of a man who had dropped off a suspicious vehicle at a repair shop at 5320 N. Broadway.

Sergeant Shanley's partner went to a nearby call box to report their location as Sergeant Shanley entered the garage. The garage owner informed him the man would be back at 4:30 pm. When the man returned with a female companion Sergeant Shanley confronted him and asked to see his driver's license. The man reached into his overcoat, produced a revolver, and fatally shot Sergeant Shanley.

The suspect, John Hamilton, was a member of the notorious Dillinger Gang and had recently escaped from the Indiana State Penitentiary in Michigan City, Indiana. He was later found murdered in Wisconsin.

Sergeant Shanley had served with the Chicago Police Department for over 20 years. He was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters. He is buried in All Saints Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum, Des Plaines, Cook County, Illinois.