Patrolman John J. Gerka, Jr.

John J. Gerka, Jr.

Patrolman John Gerka was training two rookie officers when he went to investigate a suspicious car parked on Cleveland Street near Kenwood School.

As Patrolman Gerka walked to the side of the auto, a man leaned out and shot him at point-blank range, hitting him in the heart with a .45-caliber bullet. One of the rookies, Patrolman Donald Cook, was also shot and died two days later. The second rookie disarmed the shooter by wrestling his pistol from him, but was struck on the head by a second man and knocked to the ground.

A manhunt combed the area, then the state, looking for both suspects. Sometime later, Hammond detectives arrested two suspects for the crimes. Both suspects were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On February 23, 1949, both men were executed by electrocution.

Patrolman Gerka had served in the U.S. Army during World War II and served with the Hammond Police Department for over one year. He is survived by his parents.