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DES MOINES, Iowa- Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Deputy Mark Burbridge was one of six Iowa law enforcement officers, honored today (Friday) during the annual Peace Officer Memorial ceremony, at the Iowa Capitol.
Burbridge was shot and killed by an inmate May 1st, 2017, while he and fellow deputy Pat Morgan were transporting an inmate from the jail to the courthouse. The inmate, who had hidden a key in his hair, got out of his handcuffs, and attacked the deputies. He got a hold of a gun and shot both Burbridge and Morgan, before stealing the prison transport van. The inmate was later taken into custody. Burbridge died that day, Morgan suffered serious injuries but survived.
Pottawattamie County Sheriff Jeff Danker was at the ceremony in Des Moines. He told WHO Radio news, the one year anniversary of Deputy Burbridge's death has been difficult. He says his staff is doing well, but it's still been tough for everyone in the Sheriff's Department, and especially everyone who knew Deputy Burbridge.
says he plans to attend the National Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony Tuesday in Washington D.C. where Burbridge will be honored along with other law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2017.
Others honored at the Iowa event included:
Special Officer Timothy O'Brian, Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Police. On October 2, 1893 O'Brian caught two subjects on a freight train, as it pulled into Mason City. One fled, O'Brian caught the other, but during a struggle, the subject shot and killed O'Brian.
Officer Charles Crill, Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Police. March 17, 1917, Crill spotted 12 men breaking into in boxcars in Des Moines. Crill and two Des Moines Police Officers made the arrests, but one burglar fired a gun, killing Krill.
Deputy William Maxwell, Plymouth County Sheriff's Office. On November 14, 1919 Deputy Maxwell and his father, Sheriff Maxwell, entered the jail to feed prisoners and were shot by a prisoner who had smuggled in a gun. The deputy died of his injuries. All five prisoners escaped, but were caught two days later.
Deputy Robert McKinley, Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office. March 13, 1947, Deputy McKinley died when his patrol car left the road near Avoca and went into a creek bed. He was ejected and died at the scene.
Indianola Police Officer William Hickman, December 6, 1957. Officer Hickman responded to a car crash in November of 1957, and moved a construction drainage tile out of the way, causing internal injuries and he died a month later.