New York Central Railroad Police Department, Railroad Police
End of Watch Saturday, April 14, 1923
Add to My HeroesLouis L. Shirley
Detective Louis Shirley was shot and killed while patrolling the New York Central rail yards in downtown Elkhart, Indiana.
He was shot in the back twice when he interrupted the burglary of railroad cars near the passenger terminal. Detective Shirley had voluntarily started his shift 30 minutes early but was shot at 5:23 pm, only 23 minutes later.
A suspect was arrested but convicted only of manslaughter and sentenced to a maximum of two to 21 years in prison. The suspect was later sentenced to life in prison after a conviction of being a habitual offender.
Detective Shirley was a United States WWI veteran and had served with the New York Central Railroad Police Department for three years. He was survived by his widowed mother.
He is buried at Rice Cemetery in Elkhart, Elkhart County, Indiana.
Bio
- Age 28
- Tour 3 years
- Badge Not available
- Military Veteran
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Location Indiana
- Weapon Gun; Unknown type
- Offender Convicted of manslaughter
Most Recent Reflection
View all 12 ReflectionsDet. Shirley, my Dad spent several years with the NYCRR and his Dad and Brother both worked there. Five of those years my Dad was a Railroad Cop. He loved his time with the railroad and frequently longed to go back, but ended up with a fantastic career with my hometown's PD. I bring it up because, there is a bit of railroad in my blood and a career in law enforcement makes me appreciate the Railroad Police like few outside your ranks can and I find it distressing that there are so many fewer in your ranks these days. All that aside, God Bless you and your descendants and I trust you are resting at peace, having earned it by helping to protect one of America's greatest assets, it's railroads.
Ptl. Jim Leahy, Jr.
Harvard University Police Department
April 14, 2024
Recent LODD Deaths
![Segus R. Jolivette](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27106/c_2024_jolivette.jpg)
Senior Corporal Segus R. Jolivette
Lafayette Police Department, LA
EOW: July 25, 2024
![Mohamed Said](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27101/police-officer-mohamed-said.jpg)
Corporal Mohamed Said
Melvindale Police Department, MI
EOW: July 21, 2024
![Edgar Ordonez](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27100/c_edgar-ordonez.jpg)
Probationary Police Officer Edgar Ordonez
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: July 10, 2024
![Robert William Sumner](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27096/c_robert-sumner.png)
Corporal Robert William Sumner
Oklahoma Department of Corrections, OK
EOW: July 14, 2024
![Matthew Bowen](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27095/police-officer-matthew-bowen.jpg)
Police Officer Matthew Bowen
Vacaville Police Department, CA
EOW: July 11, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Fernando Esqueda
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: July 11, 2024
![Kevin Linn Palmer](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27091/c_k._palmer.jpg)
Assistant Chief Kevin Linn Palmer
North Richland Hills Police Department, TX
EOW: May 1, 2024
![Jamieson Ritter](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27085/police-officer-jamieson-ritter.jpg)
Police Officer Jamieson Ritter
Cleveland Division of Police, OH
EOW: July 4, 2024
![William Butler, Jr.](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27084/c_butler-bill.jpg)
Deputy Sheriff William Butler, Jr.
Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office, MI
EOW: June 27, 2024