Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Monday, October 30, 1922
Age: 42
Tour of Duty: 17 years, 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 29, 1922
Weapon Used: Handgun; Revolver
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Patrolman Edward Couch succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained the previous day while chasing a man who had just murdered another man at the intersection of Irwin Avenue and Freedmore Street.
The man was walking home from a party when he was confronted by three drunk strikers who began to harass him. The suspect shot and killed one of them and then began to flee. Patrolman Couch, who was nearby, heard the shot and began to chase the suspect. The man turned and fired four more shots, all of them striking Patrolman Couch.
The suspect was an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad who continued to work despite a strike at the railroad. The suspect was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life. He died in prison of pneumonia on January 5th, 1929.
Patrolman Couch had served with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for 18 years and was assigned to the Woods Run Police Station, present-day Zone 1 Police Station North Side.
He is buried in Lot 16, Range 5, Section F, Division 3 of Union Dale Cemetery, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.