John Dillinger

John Herbert Dillinger ˈdɪlɪndʒər June 22 1903 July 22 1934 was an American gangster during the Great Depression He commanded the Dillinger Gang which was accused of robbing twentyfour banks and four police stations Dillinger was imprisoned several times and escaped twice He was charged with but not convicted of the murder of an East Chicago Indiana police officer who shot Dillinger in his bulletproof vest during a shootout it was the only time Dillinger was charged with homicide Dillinger courted publicity The media printed exaggerated accounts of his bravado and colorful personality and described him as a Robin Hoodtype figure In response J Edgar Hoover director of the Bureau of Investigation BOI used Dillinger as justification to evolve the BOI into the Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI developing more sophisticated investigative techniques as weapons against organized crime After evading police in four states for almost a year Dillinger was wounded in a gunfight and went to his fathers home to recover He returned to Chicago in July 1934 and sought refuge in a brothel owned by Ana Cumpănaș who later informed authorities of his whereabouts On July 22 1934 local and federal law enforcement officers closed in on the Biograph Theater When BOI agents moved to arrest Dillinger as he exited the theater he attempted to flee but was fatally shot the lethal use of force by the agents would eventually be ruled justifiable homicide