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Case Description
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Detective Ellery Bertram Purnsley, aged 56, was a dedicated officer with the Chester City Police Department in Pennsylvania. On November 6, 1948, he responded to a distress call at the scene of the Market Street Massacre. The incident began when a dispute between a numbers writer and a migrant worker escalated into a violent shooting spree. The shooter, Melvin Collins, opened fire from his apartment window, targeting pedestrians on Market Street.
Detective Purnsley, who was the first Blac ...Read More
Detective Purnsley, who was the first Blac ...Read More
Links to Additional Sources (6)
See any mistakes?Victim Details
Ellery Bertram Purnsley
Male
White / Caucasian
Chester
PA
1948-11-06
56
Ellery
Bertram Purnsley
11/07/2025

