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Deputy Sheriff William Fitzgerald | Westchester County Sheriff's Department, New York
Westchester County Sheriff's Department, New York

Deputy Sheriff

William Fitzgerald

Westchester County Sheriff's Department, New York

End of Watch: Friday, September 13, 1968

Biographical Info

Age: 62
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 13, 1968
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Died in prison

Deputy Sheriff William Fitzgerald was shot and killed as he and another deputy transported three prisoners from the Auburn Correctional Facility to the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains for court appearances.

The three inmates were handcuffed in the rear of a sedan that had no cage. One of the inmates feigned that he had to urinate and, as they pulled off of the New York State Thruway at the Modena-Plattekill rest area, two of the inmates reached over seats with their handcuffed hands and grabbed both deputies around their necks. The third inmate reached over the seats, grabbed Deputy Fitzgerald's service revolver, and fatally shot him.

The other deputy shot and killed one of the inmates and wounded the inmate who shot Deputy Fitzgerald.

The prisoner who killed Deputy Fitzgerald was sentenced to death but had the sentenced reduced to life in 1972 when the death sentence was ruled unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court. He died in prison on November 19th, 2001. The other inmate was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled on September 6th, 2007.