Police Officer Frank Gilbert Dobler Sr.

Photo of Police Officer Frank Gilbert Dobler Sr.
End of Watch: Sat, Dec 2nd, 1972
Date of Incident: Sat, Dec 2nd, 1972
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Intentional)
Service Time: 29 years
Age: 58

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

Incident

Police Officer Frank Glibert Dobler was shot and killed with his own service weapon by a cab driver he had told to move.

Officer Dobler was directing traffic at the intersection of Sixth and Lucas Streets when the cab stopped on a crosswalk to pickup passengers. Officer Dobler told the cabbie to move the cab to the curb to pickup passengers and shut the cab's door. The cab driver got out of the cab and assaulted Officer Dobler, pulled Officer Dobler's jacket over his head, and pushed him to the ground. During the assault the cab driver gained control of Officer Dobler's service weapon and shot him once in the head.

The suspect fled the scene in his cab. During a long series of shootouts with officers the man was finally arrested when his cab crashed after ramming a patrol car. The man was arrested but later hanged himself in his jail cell.

Officer Dobler had directed holiday shopping traffic at the intersection he was murdered at for 15 years.

Information obtained from the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Agency

Saint Louis Metropolitan Police Department Patch
1200 Clark Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63103
(314) 231-1212

Tributes

There are currently no tributes for Police Officer Frank Gilbert Dobler Sr.