In Memory of Law Enforcement Officers Killed in the "Kansas City
June 17, 1933
RAYMOND J. CAFFREY
Special Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation
OTTO REED
Chief of Police, McAlester, Oklahoma
WILLIAM J. GROOMS
Detective, Kansas City Missouri Police Department
FRANK HERMANSON
Detective, Kansas City Missouri Police Department
Near this location the above named officers were slain and FBI Agents Francis J. Lackey and Reed E. Vetterli were wounded while transferring Federal prisoner Frank Nash, who had been apprehended the previous day, to the Federal Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas.
While in the parking lot at Union Station these officers were attacked by Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd, Vernon Miller and Adam Richetti, who intended to free Nash. Nash was unintentionally killed in the hail of Tommygun and shotgun fire.
This incident so outraged the American public that new Federal legislation was enacted the following year. Such crimes as bank robbery and extortion became Federal offenses and FBI Agents were authorized to carry firearms.
Marker is on West Pershing Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
