Samuel Cooper

South Bend Police Dept. — South Bend, IN

Felonious

End of Watch November 1, 1900

Age 41

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Patrolman Samuel Cooper succumbed to an infection from a gunshot wound suffered one week earlier when he was attempting to arrest an armed robbery suspect at 2:00 a.m. While on patrol, Patrolman Cooper witnessed a subject exiting a closed saloon at 329 South Michigan Street. As he tried to apprehend the subject, the man fired and struck him in the hip. He returned fire, and despite striking the subject, he got away. Another officer arrested the subject a few blocks away when he noticed him covered in blood. The suspect was convicted of Patrolman Cooper's murder and sentenced to life in prison on June 21, 1901. He was paroled in 1911. Patrolman Cooper had served with the South Bend Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IN-50DED3D3
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Cooper gave the South Bend Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the South Bend community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Cooper.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department South Bend Police Dept.

Location South Bend, IN

Platform Identity sbpd.stjoseph.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 1, 1900

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 4 mo

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .32 caliber

Offender Paroled in 1911

Patrolman Samuel Cooper 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At South Bend Police Dept., 11 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 73.3% of this agency's fallen.

South Bend Police Dept.

of 15 officers

73.3% Felonious

IN — Statewide

311

of 503 officers

61.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious