Officer Henry Peeler

June 5, 1968

Written by 100Clubillinois

Officer Henry L. Peeler, of the Englewood District, was shot and killed by a gunman who murdered Sergeant Jack Armstrong, of the SOU Railroad Police Department, two months earlier in East St. Louis, Illinois.

After the gunman and three others murdered Sergeant Armstrong, they stole his service weapon, which was used to murder Officer Peeler. Officer Peeler’s parther was shot in the right forearm and left hand.

The incident began when policemen noticed 3 men lying on a lawn in front of an apartment building at 57th and Morgan, holding open liquor containers. As officers approached, one man tried to run and opened fire when Officer Peeler pursued him. He was shot five times but returned fire before he died. Officer Peeler’s partner, who had been questioning the other two, ran to assist and killed the attacker.

Officer Peeler was with the Chicago Police Department for two years. He is survived by his wife and two children.

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