Patrolman William A. O'Connor

William A. O'Connor

Patrolman William A. O'Connor was shot and mortally wounded when he walked in on three men robbing a soft drink parlor on South Halstead Street. In an exchange of gunfire Patrolman O'Connor was hit once in the head. He died the next day at Englewood Hospital.

The three suspects, ages 21,21, and 22, were arrested twelve days later. They were found to be responsible for over two dozen other robberies. All three were convicted of Patrolman O'Connor's murder. Two were sentenced to 50 years in prison on August 9, 1928 and the other to 20 years. The shooter was returned to court two months later to testify in other matters. He managed to slip out of a room he was being held in and escape. He was captured three years later in Las Vegas, New Mexico. The other youth sentenced to 50 years was paroled in 1950.

Patrolman O'Connor was survived by his wife, mother, and five brothers. Four of his brothers are police officers. He served 18 months in France during World War I.