New York City Police Department, New York
End of Watch: Tuesday, June 19, 1917
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: 5454
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 25, 1917
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Paroled in 1947
Officer Cunningham was shot and killed while attempting to make an arrest in the Inwood section. He was transported to St. Lawrence Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds approximately three weeks later.
The 19-year-old suspect was arrested in New Jersey about six months later. He was a member of the National Guard and had used a weapon stolen from the National Guard Armory to murder Officer Cunningham. In February of 1918 he was convicted of murder and sentenced to 20 years to life. On October 16, 1920, he a another inmate nearly beat three guards to death and escaped in a stolen automobile from Sing Sing Prison. Six days later they were captured in Warner, New Hampshire. He got seven years added to his sentence for escape and another five years for assaulting the three guards. In 1947 he was paroled. In 1956 he was arrested by FBI agents in Las Angeles, California, for violating his parole.
Officer Cunningham was assigned to the 42nd Precinct, the present day 34th Precinct.