Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Richard McEvoy succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on September 14th, 1971, while he and the police chief investigated a suspicious man standing outside of a gas station at 232 East Main Street, in East Brookfield. The chief was also shot and wounded during the incident. The man was an escapee from a state mental hospital. After shooting the chief and Patrolman McElvoy, the subject took a woman hostage. He was sentenced to 36 to 40 years in prison but was released after serving only 10 years. The shooting left Patrolman McEvoy paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair. His condition continued to worsen and he eventually succumbed to his wounds. Patrolman McEvoy was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Spencer Police Department for four years at the time of the shooting.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-87DC0FD0- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman McEvoy gave the Spencer Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Spencer community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Richard Harold McEvoy served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Richard Harold McEvoy is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard Harold McEvoy's cause is highlighted.
How Richard Harold McEvoy Compares
Offender Outcome
Released in 1991
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard Harold McEvoy is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Richard Harold McEvoy was killed by gun; unknown type.