Detroit Police Department, Michigan
End of Watch: Saturday, October 24, 1931
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: 2 years
Badge Number: 1616
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: October 1, 1931
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer Wilfred Golla was shot and mortally wounded while pursuing a robbery suspect.
Officer Golla was informed by a citizen that a nearby market had just been robbed and the proprietor had been shot. Officer Golla proceeded to pursue the suspect who opened fire on him at St. Aubin and Antietam Streets, striking Officer Golla in the face. He died from his wound three weeks later. Twelve days after he was shot three men were arrested after they robbed and killed the proprietor in his fish market. One was identified of Officer Golla's murderer after the pistol he had matched the one used in Officer Golla's murder.
Officer Golla was shot one hour after he had gone on duty after a 17 day leave of absence. He had been at the bedside of his 20-year-old wife, in a hospital, who was very ill after delivering their first child, who died a week earlier. She had been released and was at home when police officials informed her that her husband had died. She went into a state of shock and was rushed to a hospital where she died an hour later. Her official cause of death was listed, due to all the trauma she had gone through.
Officer Golla had served with the agency for 2 years and was assigned to the 3rd Precinct.