Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Friday, May 3, 1968
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 14 years, 9 months
Badge Number: 11118
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: May 3, 1968
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to 40 years
Detective Young Hobson was shot and killed while attempting to question an armed subject in a liquor store at 1330 South Halsted Street.
Detective Hobson observed a man with a handgun in his waistband and approached the man and began to question him. The man drew the weapon and fired several shots, striking Detective Hobson and fatally wounding him.
The subject was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to 20 to 40 years. He was paroled in 1983. One year later, he was returned to prison when he was caught with a sawed-off shotgun and a submachine gun after wrecking his car. He was released again on April 4th, 1987. One week later, he was arrested after he robbed a restaurant. He was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 60 years in prison. He was paroled in 2017 but was apprehended for robbing a bank in 2018. He was sentenced to life in prison in January 2022.
Detective Hobson earned his promotion to Detective as a rookie in 1957 when he chased down and apprehended the killer of Detective Barney Halperin, who was killed on December 20, 1957. Detective Hobson exchanged gunfire with Halperin’s killer and fatally wounded Detective Halperin’s killer.
Detective Hobson was a United States Air Force Military Police veteran and had served with the Chicago Police Department for ten years. He was survived by his wife and son.