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Trooper

Paul Vincent Minneman

Indiana State Police — Indianapolis, IN

Felonious

End of Watch May 27, 1937

Age 33

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 8 mo

Badge 47

The Vigil Panel 73 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 45

Incident

Trooper Paul Minneman was shot and killed while searching for members of the Brady Gang, wanted in connection with the armed robbery of the Goodland State Bank in Newton County and previously for the murders of two other police officers. Trooper Minneman and a Cass County deputy sheriff were parked on the side of a road when a car passed and shots were fired at them. The two officers gave chase and lost sight of the vehicle. As the officers stepped out of their vehicle at a small rural church in White County to look for tire tracks, they were met by automatic rifle fire by the hiding suspects, striking both officers. Trooper Minneman was shot over 20 times and succumbed to his wounds two days later. Although seriously wounded, the deputy survived. In October, two of the suspects were shot and killed in a shootout in Bangor, Maine. The third suspect was captured and convicted of murder and bank robbery under federal law and sentenced to death. On November 18, 1938, he was executed by electrocution at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. The Brady Gang was also responsible for the murder of Officer Richard Rivers of the Indianapolis Police Department on April 27, 1936. Although never proven, they were also suspected of murdering Officer Frank Levy of the Anderson Police Department on November 25, 1935. Trooper Minneman had served with the Indiana State Police for over 1½ years and was assigned to the Lafayette post. He was survived by his wife, unborn daughter, sisters and parents. In 1987, Trooper Minneman was posthumously awarded the agency's Gold Star Award for Valor for his extraordinary heroism.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, unborn daughter, sisters and parents.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Trooper Minneman gave the Indiana State Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Indiana. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Minneman.

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

Agency

Department Indiana State Police

Type State Police

Location Indianapolis, IN

Platform Identity insp.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 27, 1937

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 8 mo

Age 33

Badge Number 47

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Paul is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1937, 123 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 41st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Paul was 33. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Paul had served 1.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded