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Carleton J. “Dick” Bruce

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Carleton J. “Dick” Bruce

Birth	:	1901 Chico, Butte County, California, USA
Death	:	22 Feb 1938 Chico, Butte County, California, USA
Burial	:	Barnett Cemetery #2, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate	:	36.7008018, -88.1703033
Plot	:	Sec 17 Lot 468 sp 1
Description	:	Carleton J. Bruce, the only Chico officer killed in the line of duty. Bruce was shot by a suspect on Feb. 22, 1938 as he and fellow officer Tom Jones were called to Joe's Tamale Parlor, 118 Main St., at the request of a woman asking for help. When the officers arrived people on the street said a man inside may have a gun, but they noticed nothing unusual and decided to investigate. Bruce, 37, was the first through the door and was immediately cut down with two shots to the torso from a .30-30 deer rifle, fired... Read More	Carleton J. Bruce, the only Chico officer killed in the line of duty. Bruce was shot by a suspect on Feb. 22, 1938 as he and fellow officer Tom Jones were called to Joe's Tamale Parlor, 118 Main St., at the request of a woman asking for help. When the officers arrived people on the street said a man inside may have a gun, but they noticed nothing unusual and decided to investigate. Bruce, 37, was the first through the door and was immediately cut down with two shots to the torso from a .30-30 deer rifle, fired by longtime Chico resident Elmer Schutrum. It was 7:15 p.m., and Bruce was about an hour into an overnight shift that was to end at 6 a.m. the next day. On Wednesday Bruce's granddaughter, Andi Gilbert, said she recalled her grandmother, Jessica, saying she didn't want her husband to report for work that night, and had a bad feeling. Schutrum had entered the business holding a garment that partially hid the rifle, but the muzzle was sticking out, and the woman caller saw it. With Bruce sprawled on the ground, Jones engaged the suspect in gunfire. Schutrum got off two more rounds, both of which struck young Chico dentist Charles Seydel, as he was parking his car outside the restaurant. Others in the restaurant were able to subdue the man. Jones cuffed him, but Schutrum slipped out and was able to grab the officer's gun. Jones got it back, and used it to strike Schutrum, drawing blood. Bruce was rushed into surgery at Enloe Hospital and worked on by a battery of doctors, including N.T. Enloe himself. Bruce died that night, leaving behind his wife and two children. Schutrum reportedly killed himself inside his jail cell within hours of the shooting. Seydel, the wounded dentist, returned to his practice and died in 2008, at the age of 94 — outliving Bruce's children. A motive for Schutrum's actions that night were never established, said Chico Police Chief Mike Maloney. Rumors at the time were that the gunman was after the owner of the business, or perhaps a business nearby. As people scattered during the gun battle, many fled into the offices of the nearby newspaper, the Chico Record, where employees called police to report the trouble and relate that an officer was down. Maloney said the department may have had no more than 10 or 12 officers in those days, and Bruce and Jones were likely the only two on duty. "We honor the memory of this officer, remembering that all of us face the possibility that any day on the job could be our last," said Maloney. "Fortunately, this is the only officer we've lost in Chico in the line of duty, and we are honored to be here." A memorial plaque with a likeness of Bruce etched into metal sits outside the entrance to the Chico Police Department. ~~~ United States, Officer Down Memorials, 1791-2009. Name: Officer Carleton J Bruce Department: Chico Police Department Department State: California Date of Incident: 22 Feb 1938 Death Location: California End of Watch Date: 22 Feb 1938 Age: 36 Birth Year: abt 1902 Tour of Duty: 3 Years Cause of Death: Gunfire Weapon: Rifle; .30-.30 Suspect: Committed suicide Notes: Officer Bruce was shot and killed while responding to a call of a man brandishing a rifle in a local restaurant. As he and his partner entered the restaurant the suspect turned and opened fire with a 30-30 rifle. The suspect was apprehended after a shootout but later committed suicide in his cell. Officer Bruce had been with the agency for three years.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Carleton J. “Dick” Bruce's memorial?
Carleton J. “Dick” Bruce's memorial is located at: Barnett Cemetery #2, Calloway County, USA.
When did Carleton J. “Dick” Bruce death?
Carleton J. “Dick” Bruce death on 22 Feb 1938 in Chico, Butte County, California, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Carleton J. “Dick” Bruce's memorial?
Latitude: 36.7008018
Longitude: -88.1703033

Family Members:

Parent

Charles Clinton Bruce

(1861 - 1936)

Josephine Cornelia Austin Bruce

(1865 - 1931)

Spouse

Siblings

Chester Austin Bruce

(1885 - 1976)

Children

Carleton J. Bruce

(1926 - 1990)

Robert Gene Bruce

(1931 - 2006)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Barnett Cemetery #2
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7008018, -88.1703033

2. Fox Cemetery
Faxon, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6883470, -88.1641780

3. Holland 2 Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6828500, -88.1691930

4. Harris Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7038994, -88.1433029

5. Pinnegar Cemetery
Hico, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7182999, -88.1460266

6. Crisp Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7088890, -88.2025000

7. Jones Family Plot
Dexter, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7183800, -88.2005500

8. Morris Cemetery
Hico, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7306510, -88.1821920

9. Hatcher Cemetery
Hico, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7301560, -88.1561860

10. Ivy Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6707993, -88.1952972

11. McDaniel Cemetery #2
Faxon, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7174988, -88.1222000

12. Folwell Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6565080, -88.1654330

13. Jeffrey Cemetery
Dexter, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7228012, -88.2213974

14. Fossett Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6610610, -88.1340190

15. Gardner Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6559100, -88.2037410

16. Haynes Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7172012, -88.1081009

17. Byars Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7366982, -88.2200012

18. McDaniel Cemetery
Caldwell County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7053326, -88.2408679

19. Hale Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6627910, -88.1107620

20. Elm Grove Cemetery
Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6482320, -88.2147320

21. Temple Hill Cemetery
Almo, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.6838560, -88.2534130

22. Ferguson Springs Baptist Church Cemetery
Aurora, Marshall County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7717896, -88.1731873

23. Schroader Cemetery
Almo, Calloway County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7068000, -88.2616380

24. Unity Cemetery
Aurora, Marshall County, USA
Coordinate: 36.7709312, -88.2057114