Police Officer Robert D. Patterson

Robert D. Patterson

Police Officer Robert Patterson was shot and killed by another officer who mistook him for an offender.

Officer Patterson was working plainclothes, secondary employment job at a nightclub on Morris Avenue. He had broken up a fight between two women and disarmed one of them who had pulled out a knife. As Officer Patterson walked the woman out of the nightclub he encountered an on-duty officer who was unaware of what had just occurred and mistook Officer Patterson as an offender who was holding a woman at knifepoint.

The officer grabbed Officer Patterson's arm and shot him. Officer Patterson died in surgery a short time later.