Cleveland Division of Police, Ohio
End of Watch Friday, July 8, 1938
Add to My HeroesRobert William Wehagen
Patrolman Robert Wehagen was stabbed by an escaped mental patient as he entered an apartment.
Patrolman Wehagen and other officers responded to the butcher shop where the escaped mental patient lived. He threatened his wife, daughter, and godson, which was overheard by the upstairs neighbor, who called the police. The man then shooed everyone out and locked himself in the apartment. The officers obtained the key from his wife, and as he was opening the door, Patrolman Wehagen was stabbed in the abdomen. As he fell to the floor, he was able to spray the man in the face with tear gas. The suspect was subsequently shot by other officers and died at the hospital.
Patrolman Wehagen was taken to Lutheran Hospital for surgery. The knife had severed his intestines in five places, and he died while in surgery.
Patrolman Wehagen was a United States Army World War I veteran and had served with the Cleveland Division of Police for 18 years. He was survived by his wife and parents.
Bio
- Age 42
- Tour 18 years
- Badge 969
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Stabbed
- Weapon Edged weapon; Knife
- Offender Shot and killed
Most Recent Reflection
View all 15 ReflectionsRobert Wehagen was my grandfather, whom I never had the honor to know. Elaine (daughter) was my mother (deceased) and she loved him very much. His badge number was 969, and was a WWI vet. While still in uniform he was also part of the first actual traffic accident investigation squad. My grandmother (Eleanor) wasnt too happy with his appointment to the bureau, but not because she was not extremely proud of him, but because he often worked late and long hours on cases, allot of cold meals and my mother would miss him. Later as a young lady, my mother working at a downtown movie theater, was credited by the fbi with helping to break-up a big counterfeiting ring by stalling the suspects until the police arrived. Mom said she wished her dad (Robert) was still with her then as he would have been a very proud papa. Quite some time passed and my grandmother later remarried a wonderful, wonderful, irishman in Daniel O'rourke.
Jerry
Family - Grandfather
September 6, 2022
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