Evening star., 1933-01-17
POLICEMAN SHOOTS
YOUTH BARR|CADED
BEHIND HOUSE DOOR
Dozen Officers Held at Bay
Two Hours-Condition
Not Serious.
TRIED TO HALT FRIENDS
ARREST FOR lNTOXICATION
Victim Is Accused of Pointing Gun
at Patrolman Three Times.
Revolver Fired Once.

Barricading himself in his home
early today following an alleged at
tempt to shoot fourth precinct po-
iceman, Richard Mason Sudduth, 20,
was captured only after he had been
wounded during a two-hour seige by
more than a dozen officers.
Sudduth. who was shot in the neck
when he attempted to hide behind the
front door of his home. 1919 K street
southeast. is said to have leveled his
automatic pistol at Policeman John E.
O'Neal three times before the officer
wounded him.
Even after he was shot however, he
refused to surrender until his sister,
the wife of Detective Sergt. J. Wolfe,
led a trio of headquarters men-includ-
ing his brother in -law-into the house.
Given Aid at Casualty.
After disarming Sudduth, Wolfe and
the other detectives, .Sergts. w. j. Du-
Buskey and d. G. Fletcher, sent him to
Casualty Hospital, where he was given
emergency treatment and transferred
to Gallinger Hospital. At the latter In
stitution, his condition was termed
mot serious"
Sudduth first attempted to shoot
O'Neal, it is said when the officer ar
rested Thomas Elwood Drury. 81 Of 304
Tenth street southeast Drury, &C
cording to O'Neal, was drunk and dis
orderly
Drury and sudduth were standing in
front of the latters home when ONeal
made the arrest. AS O'Neal started
toward a police cell-boS with his pris-
cner. he said, Sudduth suddenly drew a
pistol from his hip pocket and pointed
it at him.
Sudduth pulled the trigger twice.
ONeal asserted but the gun failed to
discharge. Then, according to ONeal,
Sudduth turned and ran into the house.
AS he was closing the door, however,
O'Neal drew his revolver and fired at
him, but the bullet missed its mark.
ONeal took Drury to call box at
Twelfth and I streets southeast, and
telephoned the precinct for help. Led
by Acting Sergt B. M. Strong, the
additional officers, who responded with
a petrol, went to the house and tried
to induce Sudduth to surrender.
BY this time, however, Sudduth had
bafricaded himself on the second floor.
He declared, the officers reported that
he would shoot the first policeman who
made a move toward arresting him.
After brief consultation, the officers
again tried TO persuade Sudduth to give
llC liloiolCdp tliOy oo3ds
that he would not come out for any
policeman" and would shoot O'Neal ION
sight"
Appears at Front Door.
Shortly before a.m.-after he had
held the officers at bay for two hours
Sudduth suddenly appeared at the front
door, his pistol still in his hand. AS
he stepped behind the partly closed
door O'Neal fired at him, the bullet
going through the door and piercing
his neck.
Then, accompanied by Mrs. Wolfe,
the detectives entered the house, took
Sudduth's gun away from him and
placed him under arrest.
He was booked at the fourth precinct
on charges of assault with intent to
kill, assault with dangerous weapon
and carrying a concealed weapon.
Drury was booked for investigation. but
Capt. jeremiah A. Sullivan, precinct
commander, said he would be charged
with drunkenness and disorderly con-
duct.