Officer Niederschulte was shot and killed when he and another officer responded to a house on Second Street to investigate reports of shots being fired.

The Third District station received a report of a crowd gathered at 2nd and Marion Streets. Officers Timothy Mahoney and Louis Niederschulte responded to the area. Upon their arrival they were advised that ninteen year-old James Mitchell had learned that William Watkins had been familiar with his common law wife. Mitchell became enraged and, armed with a .38 caliber repeating rifle had been unable to find Watkins and began randomly shooting at anyone nearby. The officers tracked Mitchell to the rear of 1517 1/2 2nd Street. A bullet narrowly missed Officer Mahoney's head. Officer Niederschulte entered the backyard of the residence and was shot in the back by Mitchell. The bullet passed through his body, near his heart and he fell dead. Officers conducted a search of the area and discovered suspect Mitchell hiding, wounded from his exchange of fire with Officer Mahoney, in a coal hole at 1515 S. 2nd Street. Mitchell recovered and was sentenced to life in prison.

Officer Niederschulte had been with the agency for 15 years. He was survived by his wife, Ida, his father and six siblings. Interred: New St Marcus Cemetery, Affton, MO.