Officer Paul McCulloch

Paul McCulloch

Police Officer Paul McCulloch was shot and killed after responding to a manhunt of a suspect who had shot and wounded another officer earlier in the day.

The earlier incident occurred when the officer had stopped a suspicious car that contained a man and the woman whom he had abducted earlier in the day.

When Officer McCulloch reported to work, he and his canine began searching for the suspect. During the search he encountered the man and was shot and killed at the Pruitt-Igoe Housing Development in the 2100 block of Dickson Street. The suspect attempted to flee but was shot and wounded by other officers before being taken into custody.

The suspect, a 37-year-old ex-convict, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life in 1972.

Officer McCulloch was a Korean War veteran and had served with the St. Louis Police Department for nine years. He and his K-9 partner Duke achieved national fame for their large number of drug related arrests. He is survived by his wife and four children, one of whom later became an officer with his department and another who became St, Louis Counties' top prosecuting attorney.