Patrolman Michael Mordecai Vickers

Patrolman Michael Mordecai VickersBiographical Information

  • Age: 41
  • Tour of Duty: Unknown, but news article says he was connected to the police department the greater part of his life.
  • End of Watch: Sunday, May 19, 1895

Incident Details

  • Cause of Death: Gunfire
  • Date of Incident: Saturday, May 18, 1895
  • Weapon Used: Handgun
  • Suspect Information: Sentenced to 25 years

Incident Description

Patrolman Vickers was shot and killed by a young man, 19 years of age, during an altercation on a street while he was on patrol.

The altercation started when the suspect was asked by Patrolman H.H. Dean, who was with Patrolman Vickers, to move off the sidewalk to let a woman pass. He resisted the request. The suspect was angry because another police officer had just been acquitted of the murder of his brother a year earlier. A fight followed when Patrolman Dean removed the suspect from the sidewalk. Dean tried to search him for a pistol but the suspect resisted. The suspect swung at Vickers knocking him to the ground. Dean defended his fellow officer by, in turn, knocking the suspect down. When the suspect rose, he came up with a pistol in hand and shot Vickers in the neck and stomach. Vickers died the next day.

The suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 25 years.