East St. Louis Police Department, Illinois
End of Watch Sunday, July 1, 1917
Add to My HeroesSamuel Coppedge
Detective Sergeant Samuel Coppedge and Detective Frank Wadley were shot and killed during a race riot.
Earlier in the day a car occupied by white men had driven through a black area of the city and fired several shots randomly into a group of citizens. An hour later the detectives were driving through the same area and were mistaken for the original suspects. Several citizens opened fire as the car drove on Bond Avenue, east of 10th Street, killing both detectives and wounding two patrolmen.
The shootings sparked a massive race riot in the city. Thirty-eight black citizens and nine white citizens were killed, although it has been argued ever since that the number of black citizens who were killed was much higher. The killers of the two detectives were never identified.
Detective Coppedge was survived by his wife and son. He is buried at Saint James Cemetery in Saint James, Missouri.
Bio
- Age 45
- Tour Not available
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Gun; Unknown type
- Offender Never identified
Most Recent Reflection
View all 7 ReflectionsThank you for your service and please know that no passage of time will ever erase your sacrifice. Rest in peace always.
Detective Cpl/3 Steven Rizzo
Delaware State Police (Retired)
July 1, 2020
Recent LODD Deaths

Police Officer Cesar "Echy" Echaverry
Miami-Dade Police Department, FL
EOW: August 17, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Ned P. Byrd
Wake County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: August 11, 2022

Corporal Chad M. Beattie
Washington County Sheriff's Office, PA
EOW: August 10, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Andrew Peery
El Paso County Sheriff's Office, CO
EOW: August 7, 2022

Special Police Officer Maurica Manyan
District of Columbia Public Library Office of Public Safety, DC
EOW: August 4, 2022

Sergeant Jèan-Harold Louis Astree
Fairburn Police Department, GA
EOW: July 28, 2022

Sergeant Matthew Ryan Fishman
Wayne County Sheriff's Office, NC
EOW: August 2, 2022

Supervising Fire Marshal John Joseph "Jack" McCauley
New York City Fire Department - Bureau of Fire Investigation, NY
EOW: May 28, 2022

Police Officer Noah Jacob Shahnavaz
Elwood Police Department, IN
EOW: July 31, 2022