Sergeant Richard Davenport, Jr., 54, was a 26-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 9th District.
On August 4, 1986, Sergeant Davenport, while off duty, was alerted to an attempted auto theft in his neighborhood. He responded, identified himself as a police officer and began to question five youths. As Davenport spoke to the group, one of them, Dwayne Thomas, pulled a gun and shot the sergeant three times. Davenport was rushed to South Chicago Hospital where he died from his injuries.
Sergeant Davenport is survived by his wife, Evelyn; son, Richard III; and brothers, Artie and Ray.