November 5, 1939: Chief Inspector Fred Boucher was shot dead on this date while trying to stop an escape attempt by six prisoners at the State Prison of Southern Michigan.

Boucher was inside the main prison when he was alerted to the attempt. Using a rope and a bent piece of pipe, five of the prisoners had climbed the wall successfully, and three of them ran to a waiting automobile. Holding a revolver, Boucher rushed out and spotted the car, which was driving away from the facility. He ran to the car and shouted for the prisoners to surrender. Someone in the car fired a shotgun out the window. Boucher was hit in his side and died instantly. All of the prisoners were eventually captured.