In the winter of 1905, a dedicated male officer with the Coraopolis Borough Police Department, Patrolman Bruce A. Patton, lost his life in the line of duty. At 27 years old, his service to the community was cut tragically short following a violent encounter. The incident that led to his untimely death occurred four days prior to his passing, when he attempted to arrest a man on charges of disorderly conduct.
During the attempted arrest, the suspect resisted and ultimately shot Patrolman
Patton. The severity of the gunshot wounds proved to be fatal, and he succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday, December 13, 1905. In the aftermath of the shooting, the individual responsible for Patrolman Patton's death managed to escape custody.
An ensuing manhunt was launched to bring the suspect to justice. However, reports from as late as September of the following year indicated that the assailant remained at large. The historical records available do not offer a definitive conclusion to the search, and it is unknown if the suspect was ever apprehended and held accountable for the murder of Patrolman Bruce A. Patton.
