One of the few authenticated cases of a looter shot following the earthquake, although there were hundreds of anecdotal stories which suggested that shootings by the military and police were much more common.

According to Police Captain Thomas Duke, this looter was caught at Shreve & Co. jewelers at Post and Grant by the crowd and turned over to a soldier. The soldier shot him and the body was left to burn in the street.

Mayor Schmitz had issued a “shoot-to-kill” order immediately following the earthquake, but military authorities denied any looters were shot by them. This is the one authenticated exception.

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