Richard Mcevoy

On a Tuesday in East Brookfield, Massachusetts, the life of 37-year-old Richard McEvoy, a White/Caucasian male, was irrevocably altered. It was September 14, 1971, and McEvoy, a patrolman with the Spencer Police Department, was responding to a report of a suspicious man at a gas station on East Main Street. Alongside the police chief, he confronted the individual, unaware of the violence that was about to erupt.

The suspect, an escapee from a state mental hospital, opened fire, striking both officers. The gunman then took a woman hostage, prolonging the tense standoff. Eventually, law enforcement was able to apprehend the suspect, bringing a volatile situation to a close. For his crimes, the shooter was sentenced to a term of 36 to 40 years in prison. However, he would only serve a fraction of that time, being released after just 10 years.

For Patrolman McEvoy, the shooting marked the beginning of a long and arduous struggle. The gunshot wound left him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. A U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War who had served with the Spencer Police Department for four years, McEvoy's life was forever changed. Though he survived the initial attack, his health steadily declined as a result of his injuries. The once-active officer succumbed to the devastating effects of the shooting on the same day he was shot, September 14, 1971. He was survived by his wife.