Tahlequah Police Department, Oklahoma
End of Watch: Tuesday, October 25, 1932
Age:
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 17, 1932
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Officer Frank Edwards and Deputy Sheriff Webster Reece, of the Muskogee County Sheriff's Office, were shot and killed at a roadblock 20 miles south of Tahlequah at approximately 4:00 am.
The roadblock had been setup to stop three men wanted for murder. When the vehicle stopped at the roadblock a shootout ensued and both officers were struck. Deputy Reece was killed instantly and Officer Edwards was mortally wounded. Officer Edwards contracted pneumonia and succumbed to the wounds on October 25, 1932.
During the shootout one suspect was killed and the other two escaped. The next day they shot it out with a posse of more than 20 officers and men. Deputy Sheriff J. Hurt Flippin of the Rogers County Sheriff's Office, and Special Deputy Andrew McGinnis of the Muskogee County Sheriff's Office, were shot and killed. Both suspects were also shot and killed.
Officer Edwards had served with the agency for Tahlequah Police Department for four years. He was survived by his wife and child.