William Koenige, a 35-year-old Caucasian male, tragically lost his life on the night of February 12, 1979, in Schenectady, New York. A ten-year veteran of the Schenectady Police Department, Patrolman Koenige was responding to a report of a domestic disturbance involving firearms at 1092 Baker Avenue at approximately 11:30 pm. He was only 27 minutes away from the end of his shift. The call concerned a man who had gone to his ex-girlfriend's home armed with multiple weapons, including a.
30 caliber carbine, a. 357 caliber handgun, and a 9mm handgun.
Upon arriving at the third-floor apartment and finding his ex-girlfriend was not there, the man had fired six rounds through the door. Patrolman Koenige was the first officer to arrive at the scene. As he made his way up the stairs to the apartment, the suspect shot him at point-blank range. The wound proved to be fatal for the dedicated officer, a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War.
Immediately after shooting Patrolman Koenige, the suspect took his own life. Because the perpetrator committed suicide at the scene, there were no arrests, suspects, or subsequent litigations in connection with Patrolman Koenige's murder. The community mourned the loss of the officer who was survived by his two daughters.
