In the early morning hours of Thursday, November 10, 1910, a tragic event unfolded in the city of Boston that would cut short the life of a dedicated officer. Sergeant Frederick Schlehuber, a 45-year-old White / Caucasian male, was a respected member of the Boston Police Department with nearly two decades of service. On this fateful day, he was at the District Attorney's Office, located at Ashburton Place, preparing for the next steps in a case he was handling.
The case involved a suspect accused of the sexual assault of a minor, and Sergeant Schlehuber was there to present the details to the District Attorney.
As Sergeant Schlehuber waited, the suspect he was there to see in regards to the rape accusation suddenly appeared and opened fire. The sergeant was mortally wounded in the unexpected attack and succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a local hospital. The violent outburst did not end with the sergeant; the suspect also shot and killed the stepfather of the victim in the sexual assault case, who was also present. The chaos was brought to an end when other officers managed to subdue and apprehend the shooter.
The suspect was promptly charged with the murder of Sergeant Frederick Schlehuber. Following the legal proceedings, he was convicted of second-degree murder and received a life sentence for his crimes. Years later, in November of 1919, the convicted man was transferred to the Bridgewater State Mental Hospital for the criminally insane. Sergeant Schlehuber, who was the first superior officer in the Boston Police Department to be killed in the line of duty, was survived by his wife and their child. His dedicated service and ultimate sacrifice are remembered by the department and commemorated on law enforcement memorials.
