Officer Richard Chatburn was mistakenly shot and killed by a business owner while conducting a check of the premises.

On September 23, 1962 at aprpoximately 2:15 am, Officer Richard Chatburn and his partner were conducting a building check at the Northeast Motorcycle shop, located at 4400 Truman Road. While checking the back door of the business, the operator of the shop, Douglas Mack Hubbard, was staying in the business due to concerns about burglaries, shot through the back door with a 12 gauge shotgun, striking Officer Chatburn in the chest. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the old Menorah Hospital. Hubbard was shot by other officers on the scene believing him to be a prowler but survived wounds to his left side of his chest and left wrist. Hubbard was tried for manslaughter but found not guilty by a Jackson County grand jury in May 1963.

Patrolman Chatburn had been with the Kansas City Police Department for 19 months and served 4 years in the Navy.

Article by Brent Marchant