Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Ray Curwood succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained six days earlier while attempting to disarm a man at the Mountain Inn Hotel on Union Street in Shickshinny.
At 6:30 pm, Chief Curwood went to arrest the subject for making threats toward his family members with a gun the man had just purchased. As soon as he approached the subject, Chief Curwood was shot twice in the abdomen. He was transported to Nanticoke State Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.
The 34-year-old suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. On October 16, 1918, he died in the Luzerne County Jail of tuberculosis.
Chief Curwood had served with the Shickshinny Borough Police Department for seven years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-31AC0839- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Ray. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief of Police Curwood gave the Shickshinny Borough Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Shickshinny community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Curwood.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Ray E. Curwood is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ray E. Curwood's cause is highlighted.
How Ray E. Curwood Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ray E. Curwood is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ray E. Curwood was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Shickshinny Borough Police Department are honored on badge.nw.