Join Our Mailing List!

Stay Up-to-Date With Our Latest News

Exclusive content, important information, and frequent updates! Stay up-to-date with the Milwaukee PA by joining our mailing list below.

Detective George Raabe

Age: 
36
Tour: 
8 years
Badge: 
988
End of Watch: 
Tuesday, November 2, 1937

Incident Details:

On November 2, 1937 Detective George Raabe was shot and killed and two policemen were wounded as a gun battle raged over two floors at the main plant of the Luick Dairy at 1132 N. 6th Street. One suspect was killed. A second man was captured and a third was identified as the gunman who killed Raabe.

It is believed the suspect waited in the shadows of the darkened first floor and when Detective Raabe reached the lower landing he opened fire, killing him.

Police were seeking the gunman and two accomplices who had forced the combination of the safe from the company cashier at his home. All five men were believed to be part of a Chicago gang who had planned the robbery for two months.

About noon, a tip came into police who rushed to an apartment on 9th Street and found the bloodied gunman in bed and the other two accomplices. They were arrested without incident. The wounded gunman was taken to the hospital where he admitted to killing Detective Raabe.

Detective Raabe, 36, was the 24th member of the Milwaukee Police Department to be killed in the line of duty. He was born October 10, 1901 and joined the force May 27, 1929. Detective Raabe left behind a widow and six children: Richard, 14; Charles, 13; Tommy, 9; William, 7; George Jr., 5, and Grace, 4.