Deputy Sheriff Henry C. Henderson

Henry C. Henderson

Deputy Henderson was killed when he was assaulted while playing cards at a friend's home around midnight.

Several plainclothes Detroit policemen followed what they believed to be a suspicious individual with a gun to an apartment at 310 Rochester Street where a group of deputy sheriffs and a neighbor were playing cards.

At least two of the plainclothes policeman entered the apartment with weapons drawn in pursuit of the individual who turned out to be a Wayne County Sheriff's deputy. All parties ultimately identified themselves as law enforcement officers but it is unclear at what point they did so. In the chaos, Deputy Henderson was killed, another deputy was critically wounded and two others suffered lesser wounds in the shoot‐out that was described as the result of a “tragic mix‐up” by the police department.

Three plainclothes police officers were charged with murder in what was called the "Rochester Street Massacre;" all three were acquitted.

Deputy Henderson had served with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office for 2 years. He was survived by his wife.