Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Friday, September 22, 1933
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: 1150
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 22, 1933
Weapon Used: Rifle; Machine gun
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Patrolman Miles Cunningham was shot and killed while investigating a car accident shortly after 12:15 am.
He and his partner were just starting their beats and were standing at the southwest corner of S. Halsted Street and W. Adams Street when they observed the crash. Both officers ran toward a Hudson that had just collided with a Ford coupe at the intersection. Unknown to the two officers, the occupants of the Hudson had just robbed two Federal Reserve messengers moments before. Patrolman Cunningham approached the Hudson as his partner approached the Ford. As the occupants of the Hudson exited their vehicle, one of them opened fire on Patrolman Cunningham, killing him instantly.
The man who fired the shots was Bryan Bolton, a member of the Barker-Karpis Gang. The other occupants of the car were Alvin Karpis, Fred Barker, Doc Barker, "Shotgun" George Ziegler, and Bryan Bolton. Of the gang, Karpis was arrested on May 1st, 1936. Doc Barker and Bryan Bolton were arrested separately on January 8th, 1935. Fred Barker was killed in a shootout with the FBI in Florida on January 16th, 1935. "Shotgun" George Ziegler was murdered by fellow gangsters in Chicago on March 10th, 1934.
Patrolman Cunningham was survived by his wife and two children.