Special Officer Charles Crill

Charles Crill

Special Officer Charles Crill was shot and killed and his partner was wounded in the railroad yards that were located at East 4th Street and Maple Street. They had discovered a group of 12 men breaking into a boxcar of train No. 64 and called for assistance from the Des Moines Police Department. As he and his partner, a Des Moines officer, approached the group one of the men opened fire, killing Officer Crill and wounding the other officer.

The group of men fled but the shooter and two others were recognized by the Des Moines officer. The three were arrested and charged with murder. One was the leader of a strike going on at the Ford plant.

Officer Crill was survived by his wife. His father-in-law was the Des Moines police chief.