| On May 11, 1913, officer Harrison
Hitch was shot and killed in the line of duty while on a family domestic
call. Officer Hitch was shot by Walter Brocail who had returned to town
to see his ex-wife and was trying to persuade her to return home with
him.
Brocail opened fire on officer
Hitch shortly after the officer entered the house. Brocail reeled off
three shots all hitting their mark before Hitch returned one shot that
hit Brocail in the arm. Brocail’s gun had jammed on the third shot and
he retreated out the back door as officer Hitch stumbled out the side
door of the house and fell to the ground.
Officer Hitch had been fatally
wounded with the third shot that passed through both lungs. There were
two witnesses at officer Hitches side when he died with differing
stories. One saying he had ask Harrison are you ok and he said the
officer replied “I’m all in” (a poker term for I’m finished) the other
witness said Hitch never uttered a word and passed away within a minute.
It is more then likely with Officer Hitch being shot through both lungs
he could not have spoken.
It is believed at the time that had
Brocail’s gun not jammed he would have killed others in the house
including his ex-wife. After Brocail slipped out the back door he evaded
police and an all out man hunt was on in Southern Indiana for a police
killer.
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