South Park District Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Friday, January 27, 1922
Age: 30
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: 289
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: January 26, 1922
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Executed in 1928
Park Policeman Harry Busse was shot in the face and killed at the intersection of West Garfield Boulevard and Federal Street when he attempted to take action when he was approached by two armed robbers while off duty. He died from his wounds the following day. Both suspects, ages 16 and 19, were eventually arrested.
The 19-year-old suspect admitted to police that he shot Policeman Busse. His mother was also arrested when it was discovered that she had directed her son and his accomplice in more than 200 robberies and other crimes. It was also discovered that he had recently been freed for killing his father, after testifying that he did so to protect his mother. Later, the suspect's 16-year-old sister shot and killed herself. After their arrest, the 16-year-old suspect told police that her mother killed her when she refused to participate in their life of crime.
The 19-year-old suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. On May 5, 1926, he participated in an escape, along with six other inmates, in which Deputy Warden Peter N. Klein of the Illinois State Prison was stabbed to death. He along with five others were sentenced to death for Warden Klein's murder. On March 12, 1927, all six staged a daring escape from the Will County Jail in Joliet. He was one of three suspects subdued by guards while the other three escaped. He escaped again in June of 1927 and was recaptured by an off-duty Chicago policeman one year later. He was hanged for Warden Klein's murder on October 10, 1928.
Park Policeman Busse was a WWI veteran and had served with the South Park District Police Department for four years. He was survived by his mother, sister, and brother.