"Student at University Is Wounded by Officer," Seattle Daily Times, 28 Nov 1922

The Times’s main report of the shooting of Richard Clifford “Dick” Holbrook, on the same page as Dora Dean’s interview with his mother (newspaper-seattle-times-1922-11-28), with photographs of Patrolman Karlberg, of Dick and of C. A. Schneider. Seen 11 Oct 2026 as a screenshot of the page in the Ancestry viewer; transcribed in full from the image.

“STUDENT AT UNIVERSITY IS WOUNDED BY OFFICER. Richard Holbrook, Football Player, Is Dangerously Hurt in Early Morning Encounter With Patrolman.

“Richard Holbrook, 20 years old, a University of Washington student, was shot and seriously wounded in the shoulder by Patrolman J. H. Karlberg at 2 o’clock this morning, at East 45th Street and 15th Avenue Northeast. Patrolman Karlberg was indefinitely suspended early this afternoon by Chief of Police William B. Severyns, pending further investigation of the shooting, after an all morning inquiry by the police chief.

“Holbrook was taken to the City Hospital and later booked on a charge of disorderly conduct. Wayne Allen, 19, another of three students who were with Holbrook, was arrested on a charge of drunkenness and disorderly conduct, but was released this morning on $25 bail.

“Attendants at the City Hospital said Holbrook’s wound was not regarded as fatal, although the bullet may have penetrated the upper portion of one lung. Holbrook is resting easily.

“Two other students with Holbrook were released after their statements had been taken. They were C. A. Schneider and Hubert P. Lewis. Holbrook, Schneider and Lewis live in the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity house, 2120 E. 47th St. Holbrook’s widowed mother lives at 560 Mercer St. Schneider’s home is in Aberdeen, Lewis is from Hoquiam and Allen from Salem, Ore.

“The shooting, said by Patrolman Karlberg to have been accidental, was made the subject of a speedy inquiry conducted this morning by Police Chief William Severyns, who questioned the officer and the companions of Holbrook in his office.

“Holbrook Had Traffic Sign. Patrolman Karlberg told Chief Severyns that he saw Holbrook carrying a traffic sign after he had left a street car at 14th Avenue Northeast, and that one of the other students was carrying an urn with a shrub in it. He said he called to them to halt, firing a shot into a nearby lot. Then he hurried up to the students, demanding that Holbrook return the traffic sign. ‘Holbrook,’ the patrolman told the chief, ‘swung the sign over his shoulder towards me and I put up my arm to catch it. As I did so it hit my pistol, discharging it. I knew the boys were university students and had no intention to shoot any of them.’ Karlberg lives at 3321 26th Ave. N. E.

“According to the chief, the boys questioned this morning told conflicting stories of the incident, but all admitted they had been drinking. R. M. Fox and R. L. Newburn, witnesses to the shooting, asserted that none of the young men seemed to be drunk, and they were making very little noise.

“Victim Is Football Player. Holbrook played with the super-varsity football team recently against Fort Lawton, injuring the same shoulder in which he was wounded this morning. He is a sophomore in the College of Business Administration. Allen is a pledge to Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity.

“Allen told the police last night he had been playing a musical instrument at the Liberty Dance Hall on Second Avenue South and the other three students called for him about midnight. After that he said they all went to a restaurant for something to eat.

“Mayor E. J. Brown demanded a quick investigation of the shooting, and said he would supplement the chief’s inquiry with one of his own. ‘Had I been the officer,’ he said, ‘I would have knocked the boys down with my revolver.’

“College Authorities Investigate. In conjunction with J. C. Gould, dean of men at the University of Washington, President Henry Suzzallo also is investigating the shooting of Holbrook and the arrest of Allen. ‘I do not want to pass judgment in this case until we have heard the evidence,’ President Suzzallo said. ‘I have asked the dean of men to make a thorough investigation and I will look into the case myself. Until we have all the evidence that can be obtained I would not want to say anything. The police always have been very considerate and thoughtful where university students are concerned and have helped make this an ideal college town. There has been no feud between “gown and town” and I should be very sorry to have anything occur that would change the present relations.’

“Patrolman Makes Statement. Patrolman Karlberg’s statement to his superiors this morning, just after the shooting, follows: ‘I heard a noise and went up to the corner. I did not see anybody there. I looked up 45th Street and saw someone going up there and I heard some noise. I walked a little faster and when I got to the corner of 15th Avenue (Northeast) and 45th Street, I shouted to them to stop, and discharged my pistol into the vacant lot on the corner. Then I speeded up and got to them and one of them had a flower pot and one a safety zone sign. The one that had the flower pot threw it on the sidewalk. The other one kept the sign on his shoulder. I told him to take it off and he said: “I can’t do it.” I said: “Well, you will,” and then he threw it right at me. When I caught it my pistol was discharged.’”

Caption: “Richard Holbrook (upper), student shot by a patrolman, and C. A. Schneider (lower), fraternity brother.”

It puts the shooting at 2 a.m., where the Star has about 4 a.m., and calls his mother widowed.