Police Officer Cecil Ingling

Cecil Ingling

Police Officer Cecil Ingling was shot and killed when he attempted to take action during a robbery of a supermarket at 1927 Fairmount Avenue while off duty.

Officer Ingling and his family were outside the market when they heard shots coming from inside. Two robbers opened fire over the heads of customers when an employee threw a can of food at them. His wife and two children, 15 and 13, watched helplessly as one of two robbers who ran from the supermarket shot him five times when Officer Ingling grabbed him as he ran from the market. As the two suspects fled in their stolen getaway car, driven by a third man, other officers pursued. As the car zoomed around a sharp curve, the car leaned over on two wheels, and one of the suspects fell out and was captured. The captured suspect, 32, was convicted of Officer Ingling's murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was commuted to life in 1955.

All three suspects were ex-convicts. The two who got away, 22 and 32, along with three others, were wanted for the armed robbery of a New Orleans bank of $113,000.00 three weeks before the grocery store robbery. On January 20, 1948, FBI agents captured the youngest suspect in Chicago. He was returned to Louisiana to be tried for the robbery first. On March 6, 1948, the third suspect was captured in Cleveland, Ohio. He was also returned to Louisiana. On April 30, 1948, both were returned to Philadelphia after they were sentenced to serve 35 years in a Federal prison when and if they were ever released in Pennsylvania. On June 6, 1948, one was sentenced to death for Officer Ingling's murder. His sentence was commuted to life in 1954. He was released on May 8, 1971. In 1975 he was arrested in Stratford, New Jersey, for possession of illegal firearms and burglary tools and was to be sent back to Pennsylvania to finish his sentence. After 90 days in jail, he was released because the Governor forgot to sign the extradition papers. In 1978 he was sentenced to 17 years after he and four others were caught breaking into a Philadelphia home and assaulting the occupants. The youngest of the three was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He and the suspect, who had his sentence commuted to life in 1955, were awarded a new trial in 1970 after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that no one can be charged with murder unless they actually committed the act. The result of their trials is unknown.

Officer Ingling served with the Philadelphia Police Department for six months and previously served as a Corrections Officer for 12 years. He was survived by his wife and two kids.