Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Friday, December 9, 1932
Age: 55
Tour of Duty: 29 years
Badge Number: 2179
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 9, 1932
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Pardoned
Patrolman William Lundy was shot and killed during an armed robbery at 4312 S Ashland Avenue.
Patrolman Lundy observed two armed robbers enter a grocery store. While Patrolman Lundy tackled one of the offenders the second gunman shot him in the back six times.
Both suspects were apprehended, convicted of first-degree murder, and sentenced to 99 years in prison. The mother of one of the suspects was so convinced that her son was innocent that 13 years later she offered $5,000, which took her that long to save, as a reward for the real killer. The case drew national attention and lead to the chief witness admitting that she had lied under oath. The governor pardoned the mother's son in 1945 and he later died in 1983. The other suspect was pardoned in 1950. In 1948 the incident was made into a motion picture "Call Northside 777" starring Jimmy Stewart.
Patrolman Lundy was a 29 year veteran of the Chicago Police Department and was assigned to the 9th District. He was survived by his wife and seven children.