Lombard Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Thursday, September 3, 1936
Age: 31
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: 1
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 3, 1936
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 199 years
Officer John Frost was shot and killed while chasing three subjects who had just escaped his custody.
Officer Frost had arrested the three individuals after finding them asleep in a stolen car at approximately 5:00 am. While driving them to the police station one of the suspects produced a handgun and ordered him out of the car. Officer Frost then commandeered a passing vehicle and gave chase. He was killed in an exchange of gunfire on North Avenue.
One 16 year-old suspect turned himself in and the other two suspects, a 22 year-old man and his 19 year-old girlfriend, were later arrested and sentenced to 199 years in prison. The 16 year-old was sentenced to probation. The girl was released a few weeks later.
Before the suspects were arrested in Chicago, two Berwyn Police officers recognized them in the stolen police car and gave chase. As they were about to overtake them in Berwyn they crashed their police car into a truck. Both officers were seriously injured. The driver of the truck was killed.
Officer Frost had served with the Lombard Police Department for 13 years.