Luzerne Borough Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Wednesday, September 25, 1929
Age: 36
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 24, 1929
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Executed in 1930
Assistant Chief of Police Thomas Krokoski was shot and mortally wounded in the early morning hours of September 24th, 1929, as he and two other officers were attempting to arrest a man who had just burglarized three houses in the borough.
A witness observed the man running down Union Street toward Wyoming Avenue and alerted the officers. The officers split up as they started searching the lumber yard at the intersection of Factory Street and Union Street and Assistant Chief Krokoski located him hiding behind a stack of lumber. A violent struggle ensued in which the man shot Assistant Chief Krokoski at close range and then fled.
One of the other officers emptied his revolver at the fleeing criminal, but because of the dense fog, he did not know if any of his shots hit the man.
An intensive investigation involving state police, county detectives, and local officers was initiated. On October 4th, 1929, a man from nearby Wilkes-Barre was arrested for the shooting of Assistant Chief Krokoski. Investigation showed he had been shot in the shoulder by the other officer while fleeing from the scene and had sought treatment from a local physician.
The investigation also revealed he was involved in numerous other crimes including murder. He was convicted on November 21st, 1929, and sentenced to death. He was subsequently executed on June 12th, 1930.
Assistant Chief Krokoski had served on the Luzerne Borough Police Department for 10 years. He was survived by his wife and child.