Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Tuesday, January 25, 1955
Age: 66
Tour of Duty: 40 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Struck by vehicle
Date of Incident: December 16, 1949
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Patrolman John Gillespie succumbed to injuries sustained five years earlier when he was struck by a vehicle while directing traffic at the intersection of Pioneer Avenue and West Liberty Avenue.
He was transported to a local hospital where he remained for almost four years, being released on September 20th, 1953, after undergoing 16 different surgeries. He returned home where his conditioned continued to worsen. He suffered a fatal heart attack as result of his injuries on January 25th, 1955.
Patrolman Gillespie was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Pittsburgh Police Department for 40 years. He was survived by his wife.