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Detective Sergeant John F. Mickley | Hamtramck Police Department, Michigan
Hamtramck Police Department, Michigan

Detective Sergeant

John F. Mickley

Hamtramck Police Department, Michigan

End of Watch: Monday, September 1, 1930

Biographical Info

Age: 36
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: 55

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 1, 1930
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: Died in prison

Detective Sergeant Mickley was shot and killed with his own weapon while struggling with an armed robbery suspect. He and his partner observed the suspect robbing a man making a night deposit at a local bank. When the suspect saw the officers he opened fire on their car. Sergeant Mickley gave chase and caught the man in an alley and apprehended him. While walking the suspect back to the vehicle the man started struggling with Sergeant Mickley. He twisted his gun around and fired it, striking him in the head.

The suspect fled but was apprehended one week later. He was convicted of Detective Sergeant Mickley's murder and remained in prison until his death in 1969.

Detective Sergeant Mickley had served in law enforcement for several years with different agencies. He was responsible for the apprehension of Detroit Police Officer Andrew Rusinko's murderer four years earlier and was shot five times by the suspect, but fully recovered.