Wayne County District Attorney's Office, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Thursday, May 3, 1923
Age: 62
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 3, 1923
Weapon Used: Rifle
Suspect Info: Committed suicide
Assistant County Detective George Knapp was shot and killed as he and the chief county detective attempted to raid a still on a mountaintop near Equinunk, Pennsylvania.
The officers had to park their car approximately two miles from the still site due to the remoteness of the location. As they approached the owner's hut the man opened fire on them with a rifle, striking the chief county detective. Hearing the shot, Detective Knapp ran from the rear of the house but was shot once in the chest and killed instantly.
The man then shot the chief detective a second time. The chief detective was able to escape from the scene and call for help, but the man committed suicide before responding officers could get to the home and arrest him.
A friend of the man was charged with being an accessory after the fact for refusing to render aid to the chief detective as he attempted to seek help.
Detective Knapp had previously served with the Honesdale Borough Police Department. He was survived by his wife and six children.