Washington City Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Friday, May 26, 1922
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 3 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 26, 1922
Weapon Used: Handgun; .45 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 18 years
Police Officer Richard Thomas was shot and killed from ambush while walking his beat near the intersection of Forrest Avenue and Highland Avenue.
Officer Thomas was leaving a store and was walking down the stairs from the front porch when he was shot without warning by a man on the sidewalk. He was struck in the face and killed instantly.
The subject who shot him was a criminal who was well known to police officers in the area, and he was married to Officer Thomas' niece. He fled the scene and remained at large for 10 years until turning himself in to the Baltimore Police Department, Maryland, on March 16, 1932. The suspect, now 41, was returned to Pennsylvania where on April 30, 1932, he pleaded guilty to second degree murder and sentenced to nine to 18 years in prison. He was pardoned on May 7, 1938.
Officer Thomas had served with the Washington City Police Department for only a few months. He was survived by his wife and 10 children.