Charles Creighton Clarke

Seattle Police Department — Seattle, WA

Felonious

End of Watch January 22, 1936

Age 29

The Vigil Panel 71 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 59

Incident

Merchant Policeman Charles Clarke was shot and mortally wounded while he and several Seattle Police Department detectives investigated an international gang of Filipinos suspected of extorting local Filipino merchants. He died in a hospital two weeks later.

Policeman Clarke walked up to eleven Filipinos in the lobby of the Alps Hotel lobby at 621 King Street with the intent of questioning one. When that subject walked off toward an elevator he followed and was shot in the back by one of the other ten. The subject he followed turned and shot him twice. Despite being mortally wounded, he was able to return fire critically wounding the gunman who shot him twice. The other ten were arrested in connection with Policeman Clarke's murder. The suspect, 30, who shot him first and responsible for his murder was arrested in Billings, Montana, on December 9, 1936. He was tried for his murder in April of 1937. Outcome unknown.

Policeman Clarke had been laid off from the Seattle Police Department several months before his death but was given a special police commission to keep order in a Chinatown dance hall.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WA-16F670E8
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.
Merchant Policeman Clarke served with the Seattle Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Seattle community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Merchant Policeman Clarke.

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

Agency

Department Seattle Police Department

Location Seattle, WA

Platform Identity seatpd.king.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 22, 1936

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Apprehended

Merchant Policeman Charles Creighton Clarke 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 WA, 187 of 339 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.2% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Seattle Police Department, 44 of 60 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 73.3% of this agency's fallen.

Seattle Police Department

of 60 officers

73.3% Felonious

WA — Statewide

187

of 339 officers

55.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious