In the spring of 1979, the life of Sergeant Francis X. Fullerton, Sr., a 48-year-old male officer with the Moorestown Police Department, was tragically cut short. His death followed a dramatic and violent series of events that began with an armed robbery and ended in a fatal confrontation. For 24 years, Fullerton had served his community, a commitment that would ultimately cost him his life. He was a husband and a father to two sons, one of whom was in the police academy at the time of the incident, following in his father's footsteps.
The incident that led to Sergeant Fullerton's demise began with the robbery of a liquor store in Hammonton, New Jersey. Four suspects fled the scene, leading multiple police departments on a high-speed chase that spanned 40 miles. The pursuit came to an abrupt end in Moorestown when the suspects' vehicle crashed into a concrete wall. The four men then scattered on foot, prompting a massive search.
Sergeant Fullerton was among the officers who responded to the call to canvas the area for the armed and dangerous fugitives.
It was during this search on Tuesday, April 3, 1979, that Sergeant Fullerton encountered one of the suspects. A gunfight erupted between the two, and Fullerton was critically wounded. Despite immediate medical attention, he succumbed to his gunshot wounds two months later on June 1, 1979. The community mourned the loss of a dedicated officer and a beloved family man. In the aftermath, a park in Moorestown was named in his honor to commemorate his sacrifice.
All four suspects involved in the crime spree were eventually apprehended. The 26-year-old gunman who fired the fatal shots was convicted of murder and armed robbery, receiving a sentence of life in prison plus 30 years. The other three suspects also received lengthy prison terms for their roles in the events that led to the officer's death. In 1981, the convicted gunman attempted to escape from Trenton Maximum Security Prison with three other inmates, an effort that was thwarted when he was shot in the back by a guard. This escape attempt added another 20 years to his sentence for charges including escape, possession of a deadly weapon, and arson.
