Conservation Officer Norman D Fairbanks
End of Watch : May 3, 1930
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
| Conservation Officer Norman D FairbanksEnd of Watch : May 3, 1930Minnesota Department of Natural Resources |
| OFFICER NORMAN D. FAIRBANKS DNR Died May 3, 1930 On April 24th, Officers Harvey Kuluvar and Norman Fairbanks were attempting to arrest two men for illegal trapping at a Wolf Lake cabin, thirty miles northwest of Hibbing in Itasca County. The two men were scheduled to appear in court but since they did not, the officers had gone after them. While inside the cabin, one of the men displayed a handgun and shot Fairbanks once. Fairbanks returned fire as he fled the cabin. Once outside the cabin, Kuluvar and Fairbanks fired at the suspect coming out of the cabin. The suspect went back in the cabin and obtained a shotgun. He fired at Kuluvar, but he was able to duck and was missed. Kuluvar returned two shots, then all was quiet. Dell Fairbanks, Norman's son, also a game warden, came to the scene. He helped Norman to a car and took him to a hospital in Hibbing. Even though he lost a large amount of blood, his injuries were not life threatening. A search for the suspects was conducted over the next several days and a $500 reward was offered for their capture. Two months later, Jay Gould Heath was arrested and his son, Charles Heath, was shot and killed. The reward money was paid to the man who killed Charles Heath. At this point it was discovered that the two suspects were fugitives from North Dakota. At his trial, Jay Heath claimed temporary insanity and self-defense and was found not guilty of the murder. Conservation officers felt the acquittal was due to a poor job by the prosecuting attorney. He was, however, found guilty on the larceny and burglary charges and was sentenced to no more than five years in prison. On May 3rd, nine days after the shooting, Norman Fairbanks died of complications from his injuries. Officer Fairbanks had been with the DNR for a number of years. He was 58 years old and survived by his wife and six children: Mrs. Thomas F. Steward, Mrs. A.G. Loomis, Norman Jr., Mrs. Robert Rothenberg, Eugene and Delbert. His funeral was held at Ryder Chapel and he was buried in Maple Hill Cemetery. Sourced from: The book "We Will Remember" With permission from Lisa Lovering, Author and Board of Director MN Law Enforcement Memorial Association L.E.M.A. 2009 |
| Joseph Twaddle | Roy Larson |