Rufus A. Hobbs

Officer Rufus Hobbs succumbed to injuries sustained on June 24, 1909, when he was thrown from a horse at the intersection of City Hall Avenue and Brewer Street. He was evaluating the horse for use on the Mounted Squad when it became frightened and bolted. He was thrown from the horse as it turned the corner onto Brewer Street. He suffered a serious injury when his head struck a streetcar rail on the roadway. He was hospitalized for a week before being sent home to recover, but his condition worsened and he died on July 23, 1909. Officer Hobbs was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Norfolk Police Department for 20 years.