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James Cutchall

Death by Force
Case Description
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James W. Cutchall, a 33-year-old male of unspecified ethnicity, was the fire chief of Fayetteville Fire Department in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. On July 2, 1977, he responded to a house fire set by Gary Lee Rock, a 23-year-old ex-Marine marksman. Upon arriving at the scene, Cutchall was shot and killed by Rock, who also shot and killed neighbor Wilbur Brookens, 54, before opening fire on the first fire engine at the scene. Firefighters Robert Monn Jr., 18, and Scott Reichenbach, 18, were wounde ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (6)
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  • Public Opinion: Four men shot in minutes: Timeline of 1977 shooting of Fayetteville fire chief, 3 others
  • Iconic Fayetteville fire chief fell in shooting 40 years ago
    •     ...View 4 additional sources
    Victim Details

    Fire James Cutchall

    Male

    White / Caucasian

    Fayetteville

    PA

    1977-07-02

    33

    James

    Cutchall

    12/02/2025

    Forum Posts (2)
    I was reading about the 1977 tragedy involving James W. Cutchall and was struck by the long-lasting ... ...Read More
    04/20/2024
    Does anyone else get chills thinking about the bravery of those young firefighters, Robert Monn Jr. ... ...Read More
    03/07/2024
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