In the early hours of a November morning in 1921, Wichita Patrolman Robert Fitzpatrick, a 30-year-old male, was on duty, unaware that it would be his last. He was a veteran of the United States Army Medical Corps, having served in World War I, and was now a husband and a father to three children. His life was one of service, a quality that he carried with him onto the police force in a city grappling with violent crime.
The night was cool and dark as Patrolman Fitzpatrick and his partner
were investigating a local gang. This was not just any group of criminals; they were suspected of the murder of another officer, A. L. Young, just three weeks prior. Acting on a tip, Fitzpatrick and his partner located the suspects' vehicle near the intersection of South Hydraulic Avenue and East Harry Street. As the officers approached the car and peered inside, the situation escalated in a heartbeat. The gang's leader gunned the engine, and as the car sped away, one of the other members of the gang fired a shot. The bullet struck Patrolman Fitzpatrick, and he fell to the ground, mortally wounded. He died from the gunshot wound, his end of watch being recorded as November 21, 1921.
The violence did not end with Patrolman Fitzpatrick's death. The same gang was responsible for the murder of another officer, Detective Charles Hoffman, just three days later. The suspect in both of these killings was ultimately confronted by law enforcement. During a struggle with another officer that resulted in Detective Hoffman's murder, the suspect was shot and killed. The death of the suspect brought a swift end to the search for the person directly responsible for the deaths of the two officers, though the loss of Patrolman Fitzpatrick and Detective Hoffman left a lasting impact on the Wichita Police Department and the community they served.
