Gangster Homer Van Meter’s final stroll
On August 23, 1934, just month after Dillinger died, Homer Van Meter went to the St. Paul Auto Company to consider buying a new car, possibly to leave town. He didn’t know there were four police officers lying in wait for him armed with shotguns. The shop, with its underworld connections, knew Van Meter would be there. As Van Meter left the shop and strolled down the street, the officers told Van Meter to stop. Van Meter ran into an alley, firing at the officers. Twenty-six shots hit Van Meter, some blasting off some of his fingers. Van Meter’s family would say the severity of his wounds (warning: link contains graphic content) made it seem to be an execution. The FBI indicated Harry Sawyer set Van Meter up. Sawyer allegedly wanted the money Van Meter was carrying, splitting it with the four officers involved in the shootout.