Policeman Walter T. Barclay Jr.
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Sunday, August 19, 2007
Biographical Info
Age: 64
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 6 months
Badge Number: 1410
Unit of assignment: 35th District
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, November 27, 1966
Weapon Used: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect Info: William Barnes; charged with murder
Police Officer Walter Barclay, assigned to the 35th district, was responding to a police and died due to complications of his gun shot wounds over 40 years later. Officer Barclay was 23 years-old when he was shot, and 64 years-old when he finally succumbed to his injuries. He had served on the Philadelphia Police Department for almost two years, and is survived by a sister and brother.
Policeman Barclay and another officer responded to a police radio call of prowler in the rear of 6604 N. 5th Street, on November 27, 1966, 3:20am. Upon arrival at the Marvin Beauty Salon, Officer Barclay, along with other 35th district officers, confronted William J. Barnes, 31, at the bottom of steps in the rear of the location attempting to pry open the property (burglary-in-progess). While attempting to arrest the offender, the male shot Officer Barclay twice before fleeing.
The suspect also engaged additional responding officers in a gun battle, but was able to escape. As a wounded Barclay lay on the ground outside the hairstyling shop, his partner fired three times at the shooter scaling a tall fence. Barnes, who faked being hit (Barclay later claimed he was drunk at the time), fled as the other officer bolted to the patrol car to call for help.
Three days later, Barnes was pulled from a house where he had been holed up — 100 yards from Eastern State Penitentiary, the prison from which he'd been released just seven months earlier after serving eight years for robbery.
Barclay's shooting put Barnes back in prison to serve a 15-year sentence for attempted murder.
The first bullet struck Barclay's thigh. The second pierced his shoulder and came to a rest beside his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. Due to his wounds, Policeman Barclay was left paralyzed from the waist down and forced to retire from the department.
Policeman Barclay suffered numerous complications over the span of 40 years as a result of the wounds, which caused his death. His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
The suspect was arrested in 1966 and charged with aggravated assault. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was then released to begin a new life while Barclay continued to be paralyzed and his health continue to deteriorate.
In 2007, Barclay died of urosepsis, a urinary-tract infection at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township. Bucks County Coroner Joseph Campbell ruled Barclay's death a homicide because there was a "clear relationship to the injury he sustained." Barnes was rearrested by the Philadelphia Police Department after the death of Policeman Barclay and charged with murder.
Policeman Barclay had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 1 1/2 years at the time of the shooting. He lived in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia for over 30 years. He is survived by his brother and sister.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Holding On"
by Walt Barclay
I was burned
and the scars remain.
I looked at death,
and I was all but dead,
and I slept through fantasy
and depression.
But I awoke.
I can hear the bells ringing
in the distance,
and I can almost feel
the warmth of the sun.
Filling my heart
with hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Son of the late Bernice and Walter Barclay; brother of Rosalyn B. Harrison and William H. Barclay Sr. of CA; uncle of William H. Barclay Jr.
Relatives and friends invited to Graveside Services Thursday, 11 A.M., Valley Forge Memorial Gardens, King of Prussia. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Fraternal Order of Police, 1336 Spring Garden St., Phila. PA 19123. KOLLER F.H.
Sources:
1. Philadelphia Police Department
2. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. http://www.odmp.org/officer/18982-policeman-walter-t.-barclay-jr.
3. The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 23, 2007
4. USA Today, September 4, 2007
5. New York Times, September 19, 2007
6. New Castle, Pa News, Monday, November 28, 1966, page 15.
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Sunday, August 19, 2007
Biographical Info
Age: 64
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 6 months
Badge Number: 1410
Unit of assignment: 35th District
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, November 27, 1966
Weapon Used: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect Info: William Barnes; charged with murder
Police Officer Walter Barclay, assigned to the 35th district, was responding to a police and died due to complications of his gun shot wounds over 40 years later. Officer Barclay was 23 years-old when he was shot, and 64 years-old when he finally succumbed to his injuries. He had served on the Philadelphia Police Department for almost two years, and is survived by a sister and brother.
Policeman Barclay and another officer responded to a police radio call of prowler in the rear of 6604 N. 5th Street, on November 27, 1966, 3:20am. Upon arrival at the Marvin Beauty Salon, Officer Barclay, along with other 35th district officers, confronted William J. Barnes, 31, at the bottom of steps in the rear of the location attempting to pry open the property (burglary-in-progess). While attempting to arrest the offender, the male shot Officer Barclay twice before fleeing.
The suspect also engaged additional responding officers in a gun battle, but was able to escape. As a wounded Barclay lay on the ground outside the hairstyling shop, his partner fired three times at the shooter scaling a tall fence. Barnes, who faked being hit (Barclay later claimed he was drunk at the time), fled as the other officer bolted to the patrol car to call for help.
Three days later, Barnes was pulled from a house where he had been holed up — 100 yards from Eastern State Penitentiary, the prison from which he'd been released just seven months earlier after serving eight years for robbery.
Barclay's shooting put Barnes back in prison to serve a 15-year sentence for attempted murder.
The first bullet struck Barclay's thigh. The second pierced his shoulder and came to a rest beside his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. Due to his wounds, Policeman Barclay was left paralyzed from the waist down and forced to retire from the department.
Policeman Barclay suffered numerous complications over the span of 40 years as a result of the wounds, which caused his death. His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
The suspect was arrested in 1966 and charged with aggravated assault. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was then released to begin a new life while Barclay continued to be paralyzed and his health continue to deteriorate.
In 2007, Barclay died of urosepsis, a urinary-tract infection at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township. Bucks County Coroner Joseph Campbell ruled Barclay's death a homicide because there was a "clear relationship to the injury he sustained." Barnes was rearrested by the Philadelphia Police Department after the death of Policeman Barclay and charged with murder.
Policeman Barclay had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 1 1/2 years at the time of the shooting. He lived in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia for over 30 years. He is survived by his brother and sister.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Holding On"
by Walt Barclay
I was burned
and the scars remain.
I looked at death,
and I was all but dead,
and I slept through fantasy
and depression.
But I awoke.
I can hear the bells ringing
in the distance,
and I can almost feel
the warmth of the sun.
Filling my heart
with hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Son of the late Bernice and Walter Barclay; brother of Rosalyn B. Harrison and William H. Barclay Sr. of CA; uncle of William H. Barclay Jr.
Relatives and friends invited to Graveside Services Thursday, 11 A.M., Valley Forge Memorial Gardens, King of Prussia. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Fraternal Order of Police, 1336 Spring Garden St., Phila. PA 19123. KOLLER F.H.
Sources:
1. Philadelphia Police Department
2. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. http://www.odmp.org/officer/18982-policeman-walter-t.-barclay-jr.
3. The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 23, 2007
4. USA Today, September 4, 2007
5. New York Times, September 19, 2007
6. New Castle, Pa News, Monday, November 28, 1966, page 15.
Policeman Walter T. Barclay Jr.
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Sunday, August 19, 2007
Biographical Info
Age: 64
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 6 months
Badge Number: 1410
Unit of assignment: 35th District
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, November 27, 1966
Weapon Used: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect Info: William Barnes; charged with murder
Police Officer Walter Barclay, assigned to the 35th district, was responding to a police and died due to complications of his gun shot wounds over 40 years later. Officer Barclay was 23 years-old when he was shot, and 64 years-old when he finally succumbed to his injuries. He had served on the Philadelphia Police Department for almost two years, and is survived by a sister and brother.
Policeman Barclay and another officer responded to a police radio call of prowler in the rear of 6604 N. 5th Street, on November 27, 1966, 3:20am. Upon arrival at the Marvin Beauty Salon, Officer Barclay, along with other 35th district officers, confronted William J. Barnes, 31, at the bottom of steps in the rear of the location attempting to pry open the property (burglary-in-progess). While attempting to arrest the offender, the male shot Officer Barclay twice before fleeing.
The suspect also engaged additional responding officers in a gun battle, but was able to escape. As a wounded Barclay lay on the ground outside the hairstyling shop, his partner fired three times at the shooter scaling a tall fence. Barnes, who faked being hit (Barclay later claimed he was drunk at the time), fled as the other officer bolted to the patrol car to call for help.
Three days later, Barnes was pulled from a house where he had been holed up — 100 yards from Eastern State Penitentiary, the prison from which he'd been released just seven months earlier after serving eight years for robbery.
Barclay's shooting put Barnes back in prison to serve a 15-year sentence for attempted murder.
The first bullet struck Barclay's thigh. The second pierced his shoulder and came to a rest beside his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. Due to his wounds, Policeman Barclay was left paralyzed from the waist down and forced to retire from the department.
Policeman Barclay suffered numerous complications over the span of 40 years as a result of the wounds, which caused his death. His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
The suspect was arrested in 1966 and charged with aggravated assault. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was then released to begin a new life while Barclay continued to be paralyzed and his health continue to deteriorate.
In 2007, Barclay died of urosepsis, a urinary-tract infection at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township. Bucks County Coroner Joseph Campbell ruled Barclay's death a homicide because there was a "clear relationship to the injury he sustained." Barnes was rearrested by the Philadelphia Police Department after the death of Policeman Barclay and charged with murder.
Policeman Barclay had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 1 1/2 years at the time of the shooting. He lived in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia for over 30 years. He is survived by his brother and sister.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Holding On"
by Walt Barclay
I was burned
and the scars remain.
I looked at death,
and I was all but dead,
and I slept through fantasy
and depression.
But I awoke.
I can hear the bells ringing
in the distance,
and I can almost feel
the warmth of the sun.
Filling my heart
with hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Son of the late Bernice and Walter Barclay; brother of Rosalyn B. Harrison and William H. Barclay Sr. of CA; uncle of William H. Barclay Jr.
Relatives and friends invited to Graveside Services Thursday, 11 A.M., Valley Forge Memorial Gardens, King of Prussia. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Fraternal Order of Police, 1336 Spring Garden St., Phila. PA 19123. KOLLER F.H.
Sources:
1. Philadelphia Police Department
2. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. http://www.odmp.org/officer/18982-policeman-walter-t.-barclay-jr.
3. The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 23, 2007
4. USA Today, September 4, 2007
5. New York Times, September 19, 2007
6. New Castle, Pa News, Monday, November 28, 1966, page 15.
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Sunday, August 19, 2007
Biographical Info
Age: 64
Tour of Duty: 1 year, 6 months
Badge Number: 1410
Unit of assignment: 35th District
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Sunday, November 27, 1966
Weapon Used: Handgun; .38 caliber
Suspect Info: William Barnes; charged with murder
Police Officer Walter Barclay, assigned to the 35th district, was responding to a police and died due to complications of his gun shot wounds over 40 years later. Officer Barclay was 23 years-old when he was shot, and 64 years-old when he finally succumbed to his injuries. He had served on the Philadelphia Police Department for almost two years, and is survived by a sister and brother.
Policeman Barclay and another officer responded to a police radio call of prowler in the rear of 6604 N. 5th Street, on November 27, 1966, 3:20am. Upon arrival at the Marvin Beauty Salon, Officer Barclay, along with other 35th district officers, confronted William J. Barnes, 31, at the bottom of steps in the rear of the location attempting to pry open the property (burglary-in-progess). While attempting to arrest the offender, the male shot Officer Barclay twice before fleeing.
The suspect also engaged additional responding officers in a gun battle, but was able to escape. As a wounded Barclay lay on the ground outside the hairstyling shop, his partner fired three times at the shooter scaling a tall fence. Barnes, who faked being hit (Barclay later claimed he was drunk at the time), fled as the other officer bolted to the patrol car to call for help.
Three days later, Barnes was pulled from a house where he had been holed up — 100 yards from Eastern State Penitentiary, the prison from which he'd been released just seven months earlier after serving eight years for robbery.
Barclay's shooting put Barnes back in prison to serve a 15-year sentence for attempted murder.
The first bullet struck Barclay's thigh. The second pierced his shoulder and came to a rest beside his spine, paralyzing him from the waist down. Due to his wounds, Policeman Barclay was left paralyzed from the waist down and forced to retire from the department.
Policeman Barclay suffered numerous complications over the span of 40 years as a result of the wounds, which caused his death. His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner.
The suspect was arrested in 1966 and charged with aggravated assault. He was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. He was then released to begin a new life while Barclay continued to be paralyzed and his health continue to deteriorate.
In 2007, Barclay died of urosepsis, a urinary-tract infection at St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown Township. Bucks County Coroner Joseph Campbell ruled Barclay's death a homicide because there was a "clear relationship to the injury he sustained." Barnes was rearrested by the Philadelphia Police Department after the death of Policeman Barclay and charged with murder.
Policeman Barclay had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 1 1/2 years at the time of the shooting. He lived in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia for over 30 years. He is survived by his brother and sister.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Holding On"
by Walt Barclay
I was burned
and the scars remain.
I looked at death,
and I was all but dead,
and I slept through fantasy
and depression.
But I awoke.
I can hear the bells ringing
in the distance,
and I can almost feel
the warmth of the sun.
Filling my heart
with hope.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Son of the late Bernice and Walter Barclay; brother of Rosalyn B. Harrison and William H. Barclay Sr. of CA; uncle of William H. Barclay Jr.
Relatives and friends invited to Graveside Services Thursday, 11 A.M., Valley Forge Memorial Gardens, King of Prussia. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Fraternal Order of Police, 1336 Spring Garden St., Phila. PA 19123. KOLLER F.H.
Sources:
1. Philadelphia Police Department
2. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. http://www.odmp.org/officer/18982-policeman-walter-t.-barclay-jr.
3. The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 23, 2007
4. USA Today, September 4, 2007
5. New York Times, September 19, 2007
6. New Castle, Pa News, Monday, November 28, 1966, page 15.
