Pueblo Police Department, Colorado
End of Watch: Thursday, October 8, 1903
Age: 47
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: October 7, 1903
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Police Officer Elwin Slater accidentally shot and killed himself while attempting to assist Police Officer Silas Marts, who had just been shot by a suspect.
The two officers had responded to a disturbance involving a drunk man at a local store. As Officer Marts entered the store he was shot in the neck by the suspect with a .45 caliber pistol and killed instantly.
As Officer Slater entered the store to help Officer Marts he began to draw his weapon which discharged and struck him in the leg. Officer Slater succumbed to his wound the next day.