New York City Police Department, New York
End of Watch: Sunday, April 29, 1945
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 17941
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Inadvertent)
Date of Incident: April 29, 1945
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Patrolman Jacob Szwedowski was accidentally shot and killed when he was mistaken for a criminal while making an arrest on 113th Street between 5th Avenue and Madison Avenue in Harlem.
Patrolman Szwedowski and another plainclothes officer had arrested a woman for stealing six dollars from a man. As they attempted to lead her away, she grabbed onto a light pole and started screaming that she was being kidnapped. A large crowd gathered around the officers, who both pulled out their revolvers. Patrolman Szwedowski fired a shot into the air to try to disperse the crowd.
Another officer who was nearby heard the screaming and shot and came to investigate. When he saw the commotion, the officer fired three shots, not realizing that men were police officers, striking Patrolman Szwedowski once in the back. Patrolman Szwedowski was taken to Unity Hospital where succumbed to his wounds.
Patrolman Szwedowski was assigned to West 123rd Street Station (modern day 24th Precinct) and had served with the agency for two years. He was survived by his wife and daughter.