Lieutenant Thomas Earl Sanderson

Thomas Earl Sanderson

Lieutenant Thomas Sanderson suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after struggling with a robbery subject at a service station at the intersection of West Hutchinson Street and South Braddock Avenue.

Lieutenant Sanderson and his partner entered the service station and struggled with the subject who resisted arrest and kicked Lieutenant Sanderson in his chest. He took the subject to the police station as his partner went to the hospital to get looked at for an injury. As he was questioning the subject he suffered a fatal heart attack.

The subject had violated his parole and was responsible for several armed robberies in Allegheny County. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 7-15 years in prison after completing a five-year sentence for violating his parole. The subject died in prison on July 7, 1963.

Lieutenant Sanderson had served with the Edgewood Borough Police Department for 17 years. He was survived by his mother, daughter, and siblings.