Buffalo Police Department, New York
End of Watch: Monday, May 22, 1922
Age: 56
Tour of Duty: 24 years
Badge Number: 48
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 22, 1922
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: At large
Lieutenant Edward Steck was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a burglary suspect he caught trying to break into his next door neighbor's house. The suspect escaped.
During the next four years many suspects were questioned and released. The most promising one was a man arrested in Key West, Florida, wanted in Buffalo on other charges. He was being held for Cuban authorities for the murder of a captain and engineer on a boat off the coast of Havana. He signed a confession stating he murdered Lieutenant Steck. U.S. officials told Buffalo officials he would be returned to Cuba because they needed more evidence than just a confession to hold him. Experience had taught our government that criminals wanted in the U.S. and Cuba would say anything to avoid Cuba because their prisons were much worse and they used their death penalty more freely and a lot more.
Lieutenant Steck He had served with the Buffalo Police Department for 24 years and was assigned to Precinct 12.