New York City Transit Police Department, New York
End of Watch: Saturday, June 26, 1976
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: 11 years
Badge Number: 894
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 26, 1976
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Three sentenced to life
Detective George Caccavale was shot and killed while working an off-duty security job at a cash checking store.
He was guarding a $23,000 payroll when he was confronted by two armed men when he arrived at the store. As he attempted to draw his weapon, he was shot. The subjects then stole his gun and, as he tried to draw his backup weapon, he was shot again. They fled in a car operated by a third man. All three fled empty-handed.
The robbers, 27 and 32, were apprehended in Chicago a few days later after the wife on one informed the police. The driver, 32, of the getaway car was apprehended a month later at his in Manhattan. On December 14, 1977, the two robbers were sentenced to 25 years to life. The getaway driver was sentenced to 20 years to life. In 1988 one of the robbers, 32, was granted a new trial which resulted with the same sentence. As of November 2, 2022, he was still in prison. The other two died in prison, one, 32, on September 30, 2007, and the other on March 20, 2009.
Detective Caccavale had served with the New York City Transit Police Department for 11 years. His wife and daughter survive him.