Davenport Police Department, Iowa
End of Watch: Wednesday, July 16, 1958
Age: 46
Tour of Duty: 17 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: July 16, 1958
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Died in prison
Detective Sergeant William Jurgens was shot and killed while assisting another officer arrest a suspect in a kidnapping case. As Sergeant Jurgens pulled up to the scene of the arrest, the man was able to gain control of the other officer's weapon and began shooting. Sergeant Jurgens was struck in the head and the other officer was wounded. The suspect was apprehended by other officers arriving on the scene. A woman, who the suspect had abducted at knife point from a nightclub, escaped unharmed during the shooting.
The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and attempted murder and sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison October 8, 1958. On October 7, 1973, he escaped from the Iowa Penitentiary. On December 3, 1975, he was captured by an FBI agent near Clovis, New Mexico. He died in prison August 27, 1996.
Sergeant Jurgens had served with the agency for 17 years. He was survived by his wife and two daughters.