Police Officer Richard R. Zingler

Incident Details:

Officer Zingler was shot and mortally wounded when he walked in on three armed robbers beating a night watchman in a grocery store. He was walking his beat and decided to go into the store to talk to the watchman and warm his hands. As he entered, he exchanged gunfire with the men and was shot in the abdomen. He succumbed to his wounds two days later. All three suspects were eventually apprehended.

All three suspects were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1936, two of the suspect's sentences were reduced to one to 14 years, and both were paroled a few months later. In 1942 the third suspect's sentence was reduced to 20 years.

Officer Zingler had been with the agency for nine years.

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