1960's  Line Of Duty Deaths

Both officer and K9 were killed in line of duty

 

Patrolman Fortye, 32, was shot and killed at 0220 hours on October 28, 1966  with his own weapon after conducting a traffic stop on Highland Drive.  During the stop the suspect began to struggle with Patrolman Fortye and was able to gain control of his weapon and shot him three times. The first officers to arrive found Officer Fortye lying alongside his patrol car, and his K-9 partner “Burgie” standing faithfully by his side. Before the killer fled, however, Fortye's police dog "Burgie" attacked the suspect, ripping the man's clothing and mauling his hand.  Patrolman Fortye had been with the Las Vegas Police Department in Nevada for five years and was survived by his wife and six year old daughter.

The suspect was later apprehended a short time after as a result of the dog bite.

 

K9 Officer Yoakum, 31, was shot and killed on September 27, 1964 while responding to a call of unknown trouble at an apartment complex on Seay Street at 1:30 a.m.  He was shot in the chest with a 38 caliber revolver by Fred C. Stull, 23, of 2906 Seay Street.  The sequence of events leading to Yoakum’s death and the death of Stull from shots fired by privates David Largen and Earl Caknipe began with a “trouble call” to Alexandria Police Headquarters at 1:28 a.m. from a man who identified himself as Leroy David Beasley of 2905 Seay Street, and said that Stull had “gone berserk” and beat him unconscious.  The dispatcher at the police headquarters alerted Largen who was cruising in the area.  Largen said that when he arrived at 2906 Seay Street, Stull, armed with a revolver, was standing in the doorway of the apartment building. When he ordered Stull to drop the weapon, Stull threatened to shoot and was prevented from doing so by Dennis Perry of 2902 Seay Street, who grabbed his arm and tussled with him.  Largen returned to his cruiser to call for reinforcements, and was joined within minutes by Yoakum and Catnipe.  Stull, Largen said, was in the doorway, brandishing a knife which he was holding in his left hand.  He and Yoakum were near the curb, 20 feet from the front of the apartment Largen said, and Catnipe began to approach Stull, telling him to throw down the knife.  Instead of discarding the weapon, Stull brought his right hand from behind him and began firing.  One of the shots struck Yoakum in the chest.  Largen and Catnipe returned the fire and Stull fell dead in the doorway of his home.  The week before Stull was charged by Fairfax County Police with being drunk in public and with assaulting an officer in the booking room at the Groveton Sub-station.   K-9 Officer Yoakum attracted world-wide attention to himself and his K-9 “Mucho”, when he strapped a receiving set to the dog’s harness and trained him to respond to commands via walkie-talkie.  Private Yoakum had been with the Alexandria Police Department in Virginia for ten years and is survived by his wife Elizabeth Marie Yoakum; daughters Marian and Sharon and a son Tyron Yoakum.

   

Officer McCulloch, 37, was shot and killed on July 2, 1964 after responding to a manhunt of a suspect who had shot and wounded another officer earlier in the day. The officer had stopped a suspicious car, which contained the man and a woman 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. Officer McCulloch was a Korean War veteran and had been with the St. Louis Police Department in Missouri for nine years. His wife and four children survived him.

The suspect attempted to flee but was shot and wounded by other officers before being taken into custody.

 

Steed , 36, went through South Norfolk's first dog school and became a K-9 handler.  On June 7, 1962, at approximately 12:10 AM, Officer Steed, age 36,  was finishing his night's duty. As he approached the intersection of Liberty Street and Atlantic Avenue, he was met by an oncoming vehicle racing towards them at speeds up to 95 miles per hour. The driver of the vehicle, a 20 year old male, was absent without leave from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Norfolk Police had been following the suspect for 4 - 1/2 miles. The suspect, in an attempt to escape from Norfolk Police, approached the intersection, lost control of his vehicle and struck the police vehicle containing Officer Steed.  Detective Steed was pronounced dead at Norfolk General Hospital four hours after the head on crash.    Officer Steed was with the City of South Norfolk Police Department in Virginia for 3 years and was survived by his wife Marjorie, his daughter Cecelia,13, and son Chris age 10.

The suspect was charged with manslaughter, hit and run, reckless driving, driving without a registration card and driving without a license.

   

 

Sergeant Carmin "Fussy" Fuscellaro, 34, was accidentally shot and killed February 4, 1961 by another officer when he was mistaken for an escaped prisoner.  Sergeant Fuscellaro and his canine partner were searching City Hall when the other officer shot him. At the time of the shooting, canine officers and the inmates wore the same type of coveralls.  Sgt. Fuscellaro had been with the Camden Police Department in New Jersey for 12 years and was survived by his wife.