San Francisco Police Department, California
End of Watch: Tuesday, May 3, 1977
Age: 53
Tour of Duty: 20 years
Badge Number: 2645
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 3, 1977
Weapon Used: Shotgun; 12 gauge
Suspect Info: At large
Patrol Special Police Officer Joseph Boswell was shot and killed when he interrupted a drugstore robbery on his post. Three suspects had taken the five drugstore employees hostage. When Patrol Special Police Officer Boswell visited the drugstore at 9:00 pm, the suspects shot him twice with a 12-gauge shotgun and once with a hand gun.
Patrol Special Police Officer Boswell had served as a special officer for 20 years.