Police Officer Ernest W. Davis
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Wednesday, July 16, 1980
Biographical Info
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: Last out tour
Badge Number: 1628
Unit of assignment: 25th District
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Wednesday, July 16, 1980
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Leslie Charles Beasley. Sentenced to death
Officer Ernest W. Davis, 33, was shot to death on July 16, 1980 at 3:33 A.M. at Taylor's Restaurant, 3707 N. Broad Street at Erie Avenue. He was patrolling alone in a police car when he was stopped by a man who told him his car had been stolen. Davis put the man in his police car and began driving him around the area to see if they could locate it. During the ride, there was a call on the police radio telling of a man with a gun at Broad st. and Erie ave., and a description of the man. Davis thought he saw the man near the intersection of Broad and Erie and got out of his patrol car in front of the restaurant. The civilian remained in the car. There was a group of men standing in front of the restaurant. As he approached them, one of the males, Leslie Beasley, shot Davis in the chest. Davis ran across the street to get behind a tree, unsnapped his holster and fired four shots from his service .38 caliber revolver, but apparently no one was hit. He punctured the tire on the van in which Beasley and a companion, Perry Wright, were escaping. Davis staggered to his patrol car and begged Wright to take him to the hospital. Wright told the officer, "I hope you die" and drove off. Davis was found unconscious, slumped over the steering wheel. The civilian used the police car's radio to call for help.
The suspect sped away in a van but was grabbed by Detective Robert Lagera who happened to be in the neighborhood and heard the shots. Officer Davis died at 6:50 A.M.
Beasley was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He had a prior conviction for a murder in New Jersey. Wright was captured in Georgia. He was extradited to Pennsylvania where he was found guilty of ignoring the dying officer's pleas for help and was convicted of simple assault.
Officer Davis was survived by his 5-year-old son.
Sources:
1. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. http://www.odmp.org/officer/3853-police-officer-ernest-w.-davis
2. Philadelphia Bulletin
3. Social Security Death Index
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Wednesday, July 16, 1980
Biographical Info
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: Last out tour
Badge Number: 1628
Unit of assignment: 25th District
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Wednesday, July 16, 1980
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Leslie Charles Beasley. Sentenced to death
Officer Ernest W. Davis, 33, was shot to death on July 16, 1980 at 3:33 A.M. at Taylor's Restaurant, 3707 N. Broad Street at Erie Avenue. He was patrolling alone in a police car when he was stopped by a man who told him his car had been stolen. Davis put the man in his police car and began driving him around the area to see if they could locate it. During the ride, there was a call on the police radio telling of a man with a gun at Broad st. and Erie ave., and a description of the man. Davis thought he saw the man near the intersection of Broad and Erie and got out of his patrol car in front of the restaurant. The civilian remained in the car. There was a group of men standing in front of the restaurant. As he approached them, one of the males, Leslie Beasley, shot Davis in the chest. Davis ran across the street to get behind a tree, unsnapped his holster and fired four shots from his service .38 caliber revolver, but apparently no one was hit. He punctured the tire on the van in which Beasley and a companion, Perry Wright, were escaping. Davis staggered to his patrol car and begged Wright to take him to the hospital. Wright told the officer, "I hope you die" and drove off. Davis was found unconscious, slumped over the steering wheel. The civilian used the police car's radio to call for help.
The suspect sped away in a van but was grabbed by Detective Robert Lagera who happened to be in the neighborhood and heard the shots. Officer Davis died at 6:50 A.M.
Beasley was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He had a prior conviction for a murder in New Jersey. Wright was captured in Georgia. He was extradited to Pennsylvania where he was found guilty of ignoring the dying officer's pleas for help and was convicted of simple assault.
Officer Davis was survived by his 5-year-old son.
Sources:
1. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. http://www.odmp.org/officer/3853-police-officer-ernest-w.-davis
2. Philadelphia Bulletin
3. Social Security Death Index
Police Officer Ernest W. Davis
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Wednesday, July 16, 1980
Biographical Info
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: Last out tour
Badge Number: 1628
Unit of assignment: 25th District
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Wednesday, July 16, 1980
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Leslie Charles Beasley. Sentenced to death
Officer Ernest W. Davis, 33, was shot to death on July 16, 1980 at 3:33 A.M. at Taylor's Restaurant, 3707 N. Broad Street at Erie Avenue. He was patrolling alone in a police car when he was stopped by a man who told him his car had been stolen. Davis put the man in his police car and began driving him around the area to see if they could locate it. During the ride, there was a call on the police radio telling of a man with a gun at Broad st. and Erie ave., and a description of the man. Davis thought he saw the man near the intersection of Broad and Erie and got out of his patrol car in front of the restaurant. The civilian remained in the car. There was a group of men standing in front of the restaurant. As he approached them, one of the males, Leslie Beasley, shot Davis in the chest. Davis ran across the street to get behind a tree, unsnapped his holster and fired four shots from his service .38 caliber revolver, but apparently no one was hit. He punctured the tire on the van in which Beasley and a companion, Perry Wright, were escaping. Davis staggered to his patrol car and begged Wright to take him to the hospital. Wright told the officer, "I hope you die" and drove off. Davis was found unconscious, slumped over the steering wheel. The civilian used the police car's radio to call for help.
The suspect sped away in a van but was grabbed by Detective Robert Lagera who happened to be in the neighborhood and heard the shots. Officer Davis died at 6:50 A.M.
Beasley was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He had a prior conviction for a murder in New Jersey. Wright was captured in Georgia. He was extradited to Pennsylvania where he was found guilty of ignoring the dying officer's pleas for help and was convicted of simple assault.
Officer Davis was survived by his 5-year-old son.
Sources:
1. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. http://www.odmp.org/officer/3853-police-officer-ernest-w.-davis
2. Philadelphia Bulletin
3. Social Security Death Index
Philadelphia Police Department
Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Wednesday, July 16, 1980
Biographical Info
Age: 33
Tour of Duty: Last out tour
Badge Number: 1628
Unit of assignment: 25th District
Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Wednesday, July 16, 1980
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Leslie Charles Beasley. Sentenced to death
Officer Ernest W. Davis, 33, was shot to death on July 16, 1980 at 3:33 A.M. at Taylor's Restaurant, 3707 N. Broad Street at Erie Avenue. He was patrolling alone in a police car when he was stopped by a man who told him his car had been stolen. Davis put the man in his police car and began driving him around the area to see if they could locate it. During the ride, there was a call on the police radio telling of a man with a gun at Broad st. and Erie ave., and a description of the man. Davis thought he saw the man near the intersection of Broad and Erie and got out of his patrol car in front of the restaurant. The civilian remained in the car. There was a group of men standing in front of the restaurant. As he approached them, one of the males, Leslie Beasley, shot Davis in the chest. Davis ran across the street to get behind a tree, unsnapped his holster and fired four shots from his service .38 caliber revolver, but apparently no one was hit. He punctured the tire on the van in which Beasley and a companion, Perry Wright, were escaping. Davis staggered to his patrol car and begged Wright to take him to the hospital. Wright told the officer, "I hope you die" and drove off. Davis was found unconscious, slumped over the steering wheel. The civilian used the police car's radio to call for help.
The suspect sped away in a van but was grabbed by Detective Robert Lagera who happened to be in the neighborhood and heard the shots. Officer Davis died at 6:50 A.M.
Beasley was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He had a prior conviction for a murder in New Jersey. Wright was captured in Georgia. He was extradited to Pennsylvania where he was found guilty of ignoring the dying officer's pleas for help and was convicted of simple assault.
Officer Davis was survived by his 5-year-old son.
Sources:
1. The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. http://www.odmp.org/officer/3853-police-officer-ernest-w.-davis
2. Philadelphia Bulletin
3. Social Security Death Index
