Night Captain William C. Rooney, Colorado Department of Corrections, Colorado

Night Captain William C. Rooney

Colorado Department of Corrections, Colorado

End of Watch Monday, January 22, 1900

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William C. Rooney

Captain William Rooney was killed when he was stabbed in the heart during a prison escape of four inmates at the Colorado State Penitentiary in Canon City.

Two of the suspects were apprehended three days later and the third was apprehended one day after that. When the third man, Captain Rooney's killer, was being returned to prison an angry mob of citizens took control of him and hanged him from a telephone pole. The fourth suspect remains at large.

Captain Rooney was survived by his wife. It is believed he is buried in Cortez, Colorado.

Bio

Age 30
Tour Not available
Badge Not available

Incident Details

Cause Stabbed
Weapon Edged weapon; Knife
Offender Killed by citizens

escape attempt

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Died in the line of duty and buried in an unmarked grave. The state would not even provide him a proper burial.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/205713964/william-clark-rooney/photo#view-photo=197730558

John in Michigan
MDOC

November 12, 2023