Patrolman Charles H. Shaw

Charles H. Shaw

Patrolman Shaw was shot and killed while he and his partner investigated a suspicious vehicle parked on Railroad Avenue in Woodmere.

At 3:35 am, Patrolman Shaw and his partner were on patrol of an isolated area of Woodmere when they observed a car parked on the roadway, stopped with all of its lights off. The officers saw a male seated on the right side of the front seat, with nobody in the driver's side. When the officers approached the parked car, suddenly a 12 gauge shotgun blast from inside the car hit Patrolman Shaw in the face and chest. Patrolman Shaw fell to the ground, mortally wounded. His partner fired several shots at the vehicle's occupant as the man fled into the nearby woods on foot.

Investigation showed that the male had stolen the car a short distance away. The car stalled and the male was attempting to restart it when the officers stopped to investigate the situation. In spite of a massive investigation, the subject was never identified or captured.

Patrolman Shaw had served with the Nassau County Police Department for three years.