John Gottfried was a 58-year-old, 22-year veteran of the Newark Police Division and a member of the Emergency Bureau when he was killed during a bank robbery on November 28, 1980. During his lunch break he was waiting in line to cash a check, wearing a personal coat that concealed his service weapon. Two armed men, aged 16 and 27, entered the bank, ordered everyone to the floor and, as they left, Gottfried drew his weapon and shot the older suspect in the hip.

The older suspect returned fire, striking Gottfried five times; the gunman then approached the dying officer, shot him three more times, kicked him and was seen laughing. The two suspects were arrested two days later. Investigators linked the men to a larger group known as the New World of Islam, which allegedly carried out a series of bank robberies to fund a planned community in South Carolina. A 42-year-old leader was charged the next day in Gottfried’s murder, and subsequent multiagency arrests led to convictions and life sentences for the man who fired the fatal shots and for the accomplice who planned the robbery.

Does anyone have more details about Gottfried’s life or the investigation that could add to this record?