Constable Hugh J. Coyle

Hugh J. Coyle

Constable Hugh Coyle was shot and killed while attempting to arrest an escapee who had just shot the police chief of Noblestown.

The man had been serving a sentence for murder when he escaped from jail. He was located by a county detective and the Noblestown police chief, hiding in an old ice barn. When the police chief entered the barn, he was shot in the shoulder and wounded.

A large crowd assembled at the location and set off dynamite, destroying part of the barn, but the man remained hidden inside. Later in the afternoon, Constable Coyle, who had gone to the scene from McDonald, stated he would get the man out. As he entered the barn he was shot and fatally wounded.

Following the shooting of Constable Coyle, the crowd poured oil on the barn and set it afire. As the flames spread the suspect committed suicide.

Constable Coyle also served as a deputy sheriff in addition to serving as a policeman for McDonald Borough. He was survived by his wife and daughter.