Police Officer Benjamin C. Montie

Benjamin C. Montie

Police Officer Ben Montie was shot and killed while arresting a suspected bank robber.

Officer Montie, the Ecorse police chief, and Wayne County sheriff's deputies went to arrest suspects who had stolen a safe from a local store. The officers unwittingly walked into a local robbery crew's hideout. The men were responsible for a series of bank robberies and had robbed a bank in Detroit earlier in the day. Two of the suspects were counting money when the officers arrived. They jumped out of the window and began swimming across the Detroit River to Canada, but they returned and surrendered due to icy waters and the officers' gunfire.

The deputies left with the prisoners while the chief and Officer Montie stayed to investigate the hideout, which was connected to four different houses via trap doors, false walls, and a tunnel. The other two suspects returned and were surprised by the officers. When Officer Montie was handcuffing one of the men, the suspect broke free, pulled out a handgun, and fatally shot him in the chest. The two suspects ran back to their vehicle, but the chief gave chase and returned fire, killing the suspect who shot Officer Montie. The fourth suspect escaped but was arrested a few months later in Arizona.

The suspect who was captured in Arizona was sentenced to 20 to 40 years. Two other suspects were sentenced to 12 to 25 years. One of those suspects was paroled but immediately returned to prison for burglary.

Officer Montie was survived by his wife, infant son, parents, two brothers, and two sisters.