On a tragic day in May of 1962, New York City Police Detective John P. Finnegan, a 28-year-old male, lost his life in the line of duty in Brooklyn, New York. On May 18th, while on patrol with his partner, Detective Luke Fallon, they received a call about a robbery in progress at a tobacco shop located at 1167 48th Street. The two detectives, assigned to the 70th Detective Squad, immediately responded to the scene.
Upon entering the shop, Detectives Finnegan and Fallon were met with a
hail of gunfire from three suspects who were in the process of robbing the establishment. Both detectives were fatally wounded in the initial exchange, dying instantly at the scene. The suspects fled following the deadly encounter, prompting a massive manhunt by the New York City Police Department. The violent deaths of the two dedicated officers sent shockwaves through the city and the law enforcement community.
In the aftermath of the shooting, an intensive investigation was launched, which led to the eventual apprehension of all three suspects involved in the robbery and murders. Following their arrests, the three individuals were brought to trial. One of the suspects was ultimately acquitted of the charges. The other two suspects were convicted on charges of first-degree murder for the deaths of Detective Finnegan and Detective Fallon. Both were sentenced to death for their crimes. However, in 1966, their death sentences were commuted to life in prison by Governor Rockefeller. One of the convicted men died in prison, while the other remained incarcerated for the rest of his life, becoming the state's longest-held prisoner until his death in 2009.
