Hammond Police Department, Indiana
End of Watch: Thursday, June 1, 1961
Age: 43
Tour of Duty: 9 years, 9 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: June 1, 1961
Weapon Used: Handgun; .32 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Patrolman Frank Dunn was shot and killed in an ambush situation while walking his downtown beat.
When checking on a business, a man rounded the corner and for no apparent reason shot Patrolman Dunn four times in the chest. A massive manhunt led into Chicago where the suspect was apprehended after a sharp-eyed hotel clerk recognized a roomer who had been living at a Hammond hotel until the day Patrolman Dunn was shot.
On September 25, 1962, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. The Indiana Supreme Court granted the suspect a new trial in 1968. On July 13, 1968, he was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 2 to 21 years, making him eligible for parole in April of 1970.
Patrolman Dunn had served with the Hammond Police Department for over 9½ years. He served with the U.S. Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was survived by his wife.