Patrolman Eugene Stinchcomb

Eugene Stinchcomb

Patrolman Gene Stinchcomb was shot and killed with his own service weapon when he responded to a disturbance on a city bus on Euclid Avenue and 105th Street in Cleveland.

The 20-year-old man set a woman's hair on fire with a cigarette. When Patrolman Stinchcomb approached the subject, the man grabbed his service weapon and opened fire, killing him, the 24-year-old complainant, and two other passengers, 50 and 60. The subject was then taken into custody by an off-duty officer who ran onto the bus. Other passengers had almost beat the suspect to death.

The man was committed to a state hospital, where he died in 1993.

Patrolman Stinchcomb had served with the Cleveland Division of Police for 29 years. He was survived by his wife and son.