Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Saturday, June 13, 1925
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 2 years, 7 months
Badge Number: 2811
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 13, 1925
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: One shot and killed
Patrolman Charles Walsh and Patrolman Harold Olson were shot and killed while chasing three mobsters who had just attempted to assassinate one of their rivals. The car carrying the suspects crashed in the 5900 block of South Western Avenue, and the three men exited the car and opened fire on the officers with shotguns.
Patrolman Olson and Patrolman Walsh were fatally wounded and a third patrolman was seriously wounded. The fourth officer returned fire, killing one of the suspects. The officer also chased and apprehended the remaining two suspects.
The two suspects were acquitted by a jury but were later murdered by Al Capone in 1929. The two men were hitmen for Al Capone when they murdered Patrolman Olson and Patrolman Walsh. Another one of Al Capone's hitmen murdered Patrolman Charles Skalay, of the St. Joseph, Michigan, Police Department, on December 14th, 1929.
Patrolman Walsh, a WWI U.S. Navy veteran, served with the Chicago Police Department for 2-1/2 years and was assigned to the Detective Division Ford Squad 8 C.
He was survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.