Sergeant Michael J Lawrence

End of Watch : December 30, 1925

SERGEANT MICHAEL J. LAWRENCE (OWSHANEY)
Minneapolis PD
Died December 30, 1925

On December 30, 1925, Stanisky Schiban entered a store at 1500 Fourth Street North and asked for a dozen apples. When the store owner, Mrs. Manchester, went to get them, the suspect went over to her and told her that was enough. He then pulled his gun out and she dropped the bag of apples. Seeing the robbery in progress, Mr. Manchester went into another room to get his gun from a coat but the suspect saw him and told him to return, which he did with his gun pointed at the suspect. The suspect shot twice, hitting Mr. Manchester in the arm and the abdomen. The bandit then turned to leave but Mr. Manchester, although gravely wounded, returned fire. The suspect shot one more time, but by this time, Mr. Manchester had collapsed. Mrs. Manchester saw the suspect run south on Fourth Street north and then into an alley. She then called police. Mr. Manchester was taken to the hospital in serious condition. Mrs. Manchester was able to give police a description of the suspect.

A half hour later, Sergeant Michael J. Lawrence spotted the suspect at Fourteenth Avenue North and Sixth Street North. As he was getting out of his car to question the man, the suspect opened fire from ten feet away. Sergeant Lawrence was hit once in the head and died instantly. Officer Bernard Wynne, 34, who had been riding with Lawrence, got out of the other side of the car and chased the suspect down the street. The suspect turned and fired and Wynne was shot three times in the leg. Officer Clarence J. Zane, who was driving the car, began a foot chase. The suspect ran across Sixth Street going between two houses where Zane fatally shot him. Mrs. Manchester later identified the suspect as he lay dying in the hospital. Stanisky Schiban, AKA: Stanley Sieban and Stanisky Sciban, 37, had been released from Stillwater Prison to be deported. He had been serving time for robbery.

Sergeant Lawrence, who was facing mandatory retirement on January 1st, had planned to retire in two weeks. He was 56 years old and had been with the department for 26 years. He was survived by his wife and four children. His funeral was held at his home at 1530 Hillside Avenue and he was buried in St. Mary's Cemetery.

Sourced from: The book "We Will Remember"
With permission from Lisa Lovering, Author and Board of Director
MN Law Enforcement Memorial Association
L.E.M.A. 2009

Murdock E Murray

Fred A Pietsch