Police Officer Robert Franklin Gushe

Robert Franklin Gushe

Police Officer Robert Gushe was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a robbery suspect.

The man had just robbed another man at gunpoint on a city street. Officer Gushe caught up to the subject near Twelfth Street and Clay Street and approached him from behind. He tapped the man on the shoulder and told him he was under arrest. Without turning around, the subject reached around his left side and fired a round which struck Officer Gushe in the heart.

The subject was arrested, convicted of Officer Gushe's murder, and sentenced to life at hard labor. He died in Folsom Prison on July 21, 1934. It was believed at the time that Officer Gushe's murderer had also murdered Officer Thomas Deasy, of the San Francisco Police Department, on January 8th, 1916, under similar circumstances.

Officer Gushe was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the San Francisco Police Department for five years. He was survived by his wife.