Officers mark 48th anniversary of attack

Photo courtesy of Nebraska City Police Department

NEBRASKA CITY - Nebraska City police observed the anniversary of the 1977 attack on police officers that killed Gary White and injured his 22-year-old partner Peter Rishel. The officers were attacked by a man wanted for domestic violence.

Roger Kopf, the son of former patrolman Melvin Kopf, joined officers at 3:45 a.m. July 9 where the attack took place on the south side of the fire station. Police say a public ceremony is being planned for the 50^th anniversary in two years.

 

 

 

Prior to the attack, a man drove to the police station to alert police about injuries to the wife of 39-year-old Robert Beers. The woman had escaped to a neighbor’s house with a broken nose and other injuries.

The neighbor had no phone, but drove 16 blocks to the police station where he summoned Officers White and Rishel. When the officers came out to the parking lot, Beers pulled up and opened fire with a shotgun. His wife had remained behind at the neighbor’s house.

Beers was arrested five hours later at an Interstate 80 rest stop near York. He later died in state prison.