In the early morning hours of July 14, 1980, off-duty New York City Police Detective Abraham Walton, a 38-year-old Black male, was at the Desire Club, a social club in the Richmond Hill section of Queens. At approximately 4:15 a.m., the night took a violent turn when four armed men entered the establishment, initially ordering drinks before announcing a robbery.
The gunmen instructed all patrons to lie on the floor and began taking their valuables.
Walton, a 12-year veteran of the force, initially complied with the robbers' demands. However, when the assailants began to physically assault the bar manager, Walton's commitment to protect and serve took precedence. He rose, identified himself as a police officer, and drew his weapon in an attempt to thwart the robbery. A chaotic exchange of gunfire ensued, during which Detective Walton was struck multiple times. He was rushed to Jamaica Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries five hours later. The perpetrators fled the scene with Walton's service revolver, wallet, and police shield.
An intensive investigation into the murder of Detective Walton led to the arrests of two men, Mottis Craig and Henry Robinson. On March 30, 1982, both men were convicted of felony murder, robbery, and attempted robbery, each receiving a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. In a later turn of events, both Craig and Robinson were granted a new trial in 1990. Following the new proceedings, Craig was convicted of manslaughter and was released in January 1991. Robinson was also convicted of manslaughter and received a sentence of 6 to 12 years, in addition to a separate 18-year sentence for an unrelated robbery.
Detective Walton was remembered as a highly decorated and respected officer, having received 33 departmental citations for his exemplary service. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor on June 11, 1981. He was survived by his wife and three children. In a lasting tribute to his bravery, the NYPD named a K-9 unit dog 'Abe' in his honor.
