Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Saturday, February 13, 1954
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: 4706
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: February 6, 1954
Weapon Used: Shotgun; 16 gauge
Suspect Info: Deceased
Detective Roman Steinke and Detective Jeremiah Lucey were fatally wounded at 2705 W. Diversey Avenue by the owner of a laundry they were attempting to arrest.
The detectives had gone to the laundry and attempted to arrest the laundry owner for slapping a boy. The man claimed he did not know that Detective Steinke and Detective Lucey were police officers but instead thought the plainclothes officers had come into his shop to beat him.
After the shooting, the man had barricaded himself in the laundry and held 150 policemen at bay for 30 minutes before he was captured. He was also critically wounded in the battle and died in the hospital 10 weeks later.
Detective Roman Steinke succumbed to his wounds and died one week later.
Detective Steinke had served with the Chicago Police Department for 13 years and was assigned to the Shakespeare District. He was survived by his wife and two children.