Robert Shanley

Carteret Police Department — Carteret, NJ

Felonious

End of Watch December 7, 1944

Age 43

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

The Vigil Panel 81 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy Chief of Police Robert Shanley and Patrolman Walter Rusinak were shot and killed while responding to a domestic call at 22 Mercer Street. The subject was upset over custody of his daughter and attempted to kill his estranged wife. She managed to escape while her father tried to take the rifle away. During the scuffle, the father was shot and killed. When officers arrived, the subject fired through the front window, wounding a sergeant, who was one of his friends, wounding a patrolman, and killing a 13-year-old neighbor who was playing outside. Trying to surprise the shooter, Patrolman Rusinak entered through the back door but was shot in the head and died instantly. The subject escaped through the back, using his daughter as a shield. While brandishing his firearm, he fired at Deputy Chief Shanley, who was shot through the heart. Officers chased him throughout the town, and after a few blocks, he left his daughter on the street and was able to allude the police. He turned himself in a few hours later. The suspect was convicted of first-degree murder, sentenced to death, and executed on March 26, 1945. Deputy Chief Shanley had served with the Carteret Police Department for 18 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-170B4119
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.
Deputy Chief of Police Shanley gave the Carteret Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Carteret community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Chief of Police Shanley.

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

Agency

Department Carteret Police Department

Location Carteret, NJ

Platform Identity cpd.middlesex.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 7, 1944

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1945

Deputy Chief of Police Robert Shanley 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Carteret Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Carteret Police Department

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

NJ — Statewide

264

of 646 officers

40.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious