TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2000
TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2000
Officer's death years later is homicide
Medical records link his death
last week to being shot and
then run over by car in 1957.
By Chris Graves
Star Tribune Staff Writer
The death last week of a retired Minneapolis police officer who was severely injured in the line of duty more than 40 years ago has been ruled a homicide.
Ward Canfield, 78, died March 2 of pneumonia brought on by complications of a gunshot wound and multiple injuries he suffered in a gun battle with three robbers in 1957, the Hennepin County medical examiner's office ruled Sunday. Because of that, his death is classified as a killing.
But no one will be charged in Canfield's death because two of the suspects died during a shootout with police in 1957. The third suspect, who was convicted of killing Canfield's partner Robert Fossum, committed suicide in prison in 1958.
Dr. Kathy Berg, assistant chief medical examiner in Hennepin County, said Monday that it was clear from a review of Canfield's medical records that his death was a result of being shot, run over and dragged by a car, and a subsequent series of more than 100 surgeries to treat those injuries,
"Had he not had the injuries he probably would be alive today," she said. "Most of the medical problems he had were the direct result of the injuries he suffered."
Canfield and Fossum began chasing a stolen car on Aug. 17, 1957, unaware that the occupants were on their way to rob a supermarket. The suspects fired at the squad car and Canfield fired back. The suspects – brothers James, Roger and Ronald O'Kasick - crashed their car and then shot at Fossum, striking him in the head. He died at the scene.
As they tried to get away, the suspects ran over Canfield. He became trapped under the car and was dragged nearly 30 feet before his body was dislodged.
The suspects eluded authorities for 28 days, but eventually were found after a series of twists and turns that would rival even a modern Hollywood action film. Police fatally shot Roger and Ronald O'Kasick.
Canfield, who had been an officer for 12 years, spent the next 15 months in the hospital, had multiple surgeries and received 97 blood transfusions.
He returned to police duty - behind a desk - in 1958. But chronic pain drove him to retire in 1960.
His wife, Evelyn, said his pain worsened over the years and he went from using a crutch to a wheelchair and then became bedridden.
Canfield had been hospitalized several times in the past three months of his life, battling pneumonia. He was admitted to Mount Olivet Careview Home, a nursing home in Minneapolis, two weeks before his death.
John Delmonico, president of the Minneapolis Police Federation, said union officials are checking whether Canfield's survivors will be eligible to receive benefits for officers killed in the line of duty.