Chicago Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch: Saturday, December 8, 1928
Age: 35
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: 5343
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: December 8, 1928
Weapon Used: Handgun; Revolver
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Patrolman Michael J. Lynch, on special detail at an A and P store at 458 E. 37th Street, was shot to death at 5:35 pm by one of two bandits when he attempted to stop a robbery in progress. A third accomplice was acting as a lookout in front of the store.
The armed men escaped but three days later they were booked for murder after making a confession.
It was discovered that the 22-year-old killer had murdered two men in two different Chicago drugstore robberies earlier the same year. One was the owner of his drugstore and the other a customer. He was convicted of all three murders and sentenced to life plus two 50 year terms. In 1967 his sentences were commuted to 13 years making him eligible for parole.
Patrolman Lynch was survived by his wife and four children.