In the spring of 1972, a veteran detective’s life was cut short on the streets of Queens in a tragic turn of events. William Capers, a 51-year-old male detective with 19 years on the force, was working in plainclothes with his partner on April 3rd. They were investigating a series of purse snatchings in the Jamaica area when they spotted three suspicious men in a parking lot on 164th Street.
The detectives approached the men and discovered that one of them had an illegal handgun in his
car. As they were making the arrests, one of the suspects broke free and fled on foot. Detective Capers immediately gave chase, pursuing the man into the vestibule of a store on 164th Street. During the pursuit, Detective Capers fired a warning shot into the air.
A uniformed officer on traffic duty nearby heard the shot and rushed toward the sound. Seeing a man in plainclothes holding a suspect at gunpoint, the officer mistook Detective Capers for a criminal committing a robbery. The uniformed officer fired a single, fatal shot, striking and killing Detective Capers.
The aftermath of the shooting revealed the devastating mistake. It was determined that Detective Capers' death was the result of an accidental shooting by a fellow officer, a case of friendly fire. Consequently, there were no arrests or suspects in the traditional sense, and the uniformed officer who fired the shot was not charged. For his service and sacrifice, William Capers was posthumously awarded the New York City Police Department's Medal of Honor.
