Fallen Officers
In the history of the Waterloo Police Department, six officers have been killed in the line of duty.
| Officer | Date of death | Cause of death | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrolman Fred P. Widmann |
|
Gunfire | Patrolman Widmann was shot and killed by burglars while walking his beat. No suspect was ever apprehended. |
| Detective William Goodenbour |
|
Gunfire | Detective Goodenbour was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for forging a check at a local store. The suspect was shot and killed by Detective Goodenbour's partner. |
| Patrolman Vinton Jerry Margretz |
|
Motorcycle Accident | Patrolman Margretz was killed in a motorcycle accident on Reber Avenue, near Marsh Street, while responding to a call. He was thrown from the motorcycle and sustained serious injuries. He was transported to Presbyterian Hospital where he died approximately one hour later.
Patrolman Margretz was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWI. He had served with the Waterloo Police Department for a total of about 2 years on two separate occasions. He was survived by his wife. |
| William Russell Mehlhorn, Jr. |
|
Gunfire | Patrolman William Mehlhorn was shot and killed with his own weapon, a .357-caliber Colt revolver, while attempting to arrest a burglary suspect. The suspect was shot and wounded by another officer. The suspect's wound caused him to be paralyzed until his death six years later.
Patrolman Mehlhorn was survived by his wife and four children. |
| Patrolman Wayne Robert Rice |
|
Gunfire | Killed with Officer Hoing. See description below. |
| Patrolman Michael Wayne Hoing |
|
Gunfire | Officer Hoing and Officer Wayne Rice were shot and killed after responding to a noise complaint for the second time in one night. As Officer Hoing called for backup the suspect struck Officer Rice on the head and gained control of his service weapon. The suspect then shot Officer Rice once. Officer Hoing was able to return fire but was struck four times. Officer Rice succumbed to his injuries at the scene and Officer Hoing succumbed to injuries the following day at a local hospital.
Two days after the murders Deputy William Mullikin, of the Black Hack County Sheriff's Department, was killed in an automobile accident while responding to a reported sighting of the suspect. The suspect was apprehended and sentenced to two life terms in prison with no chance for parole. Officer Hoing had been with the agency for seven years and was survived by his wife and two sons. |
Read more about this topic: Waterloo Police Department (Iowa)
Famous quotes containing the words fallen and/or officers:
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—Aeschylus (525–456 B.C.)
“I sometimes compare press officers to riflemen on the Somme—mowing down wave upon wave of distortion, taking out rank upon rank of supposition, deduction and gossip.”
—Bernard Ingham (b. 1932)