Detective Edward Michael Madden | Star #7711

Detective Edward Michael Madden, Star #7711, aged 26 years, was a 3 year, 11 month, 4 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Field Services – Detective Division: Unit 066 – Area 6 Robbery Section.

On September 28, 1972, at 8:00 p.m., Detective Madden along with Sergeant John Coughlin and Investigator Leonard Muscolino were conducting surveillance on Gilbert Ziemba’s residence located at 1464 West Olive Avenue. Earlier in the day, Ziemba had disarmed and stolen Patrolman Glenn Shurtleff’s gun. While Detective Madden’s unit was in the building, a second unit of three officers arrived including Detective Glenn Shurtleff. Each unit was unaware of the other’s presence. Detective Madden had lowered his gun to the side of his leg, as he positioned himself on the second-floor landing. Meanwhile, Officer Shurtleff from the second unit entered the foyer below and saw a man holding a gun to the side of his leg. Detective Shurtleff’s viewpoint of the second-floor landing was obstructed by the staircase and he shouted, “Police! Hold it, right there.“ Detective Madden, unaware of the second unit’s arrival, turned to look and was accidentally shot in the back of his neck. Detective Madden was taken to Edgewater Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds four days later on October 2, 1972. The gunshot wound tore out part of Detective Madden’s tongue, shattered his jaw and damaged his spine. Had he survived he would have been paralyzed from the neck down. Tragically, Officer Shurtleff shot and killed Detective Madden who was his childhood friend and who he had joined the force with.

The course of events began earlier in the day when Detective Shurtleff had gone to the Olive Avenue address to help serve a warrant in a routine case, the theft of a dump truck and a camper. Two other detectives had already arrived. The three detectives had observed a man, Gilbert Ziemba, in a 1967 Oldsmobile parked across the street. The two other detectives knew they were looking for a man with a harelip. Detective Shurtleff didn’t know that. The other two detectives seeing that the man didn’t have a harelip started toward the two-flat. Detective Shurtleff approached Ziemba in the car and asked to see his license. Ziemba immediately pulled a gun and lept from the car pushing the gun into Detective Shurtleff’s stomach. The other two detectives, seeing what was going on, turned back when the Ziemba yelled “if you make one move, i’ll shoot the son of a bitch!“ Ziemba disarmed Detective Shurtleff and walked him down Olive Avenue to an alley a few yards east of Clark Street. Ziemba then shoved Detective Shurtleff violently and told him to “run!“ Detective Shurtleff stumbled and Ziemba ran down the alley with the other two detectives in pursuit. Ziemba fled into the Star Hardware store and then into an adjoining butcher shop. Ziemba then made good his escape.

On November 30, 1972, a coroner’s jury concluded that the shooting of Detective Madden by a fellow Chicago Police Officer was accidental. Gilbert Ziemba, age 31, an ex-convict on parole for armed robbery and wanted for five armed robbery warrants was arrested after a tipster recognized him in a bar.

Detective Madden was waked at M. J. Suerth Funeral Home located at 6754 North Nortwest Highway. His funeral mass was held at St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church located at 1429 West Wellington Avenue. He was laid to rest on October 5, 1972 in St. Joseph Cemetery, 3100 North Thatcher Avenue, River Grove, Illinois.

Detective Edward Michael Madden, born December 30, 1945, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on October 28, 1968.

Detective Madden was survived by his girlfriend, Cindy Meredik; parents: Edward J. and Eleanor (nee Machi); siblings: Michael, Patrick, Mary, Jerry and Judith and grandparents: Alex Macht and Lena Macht.

Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department Burglary RD #M398167.

In January, 1973, Detective Madden’s star was retired by Superintendent James B. Conlisk and enshrined in the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, located in the 4th floor Office of the Superintendent at Chicago Police Headquarters, 1121 South State Street. The Honored Star Case was later relocated to the lobby of Chicago Police Headquarters, 1121 South State Street. In 2000, Chicago Police Headquarters moved to a new facility at 3510 South Michigan Avenue, Detective Madden’s Star was re-encased in the new headquarters building lobby.