Officer's Death Called Senseless

Off-duty police officer George Partridge Jr. was shot and killed in what his commanding officer called the most senseless thing he had ever seen.

Captain Bruce Lindberg, in charge of the 6th precinct (Model Cities), said Off. George Partridge, 24, was shot after an apparent dispute over a parking problem.

According to Capt. Lindberg, three officers had stopped at a Minneapolis bar after working the 3 to 11 shift. Partridge and his partner, Off. Mark Cassman, came out of the bar and went to their car after the bar had closed. They were not in uniform. As they were about to enter the car, Lindberg said a woman approached him and she wanted to talk to them.

At about this time an employee of one of the bars and the suspect came out, got into his car and attempted to drive away. Apparently he couldn't get around Partridge's car and some words were exchanged. Partridge got out of his car to tell the guy he had enough room to move around in, and after a moment of shuffling around in the car, the suspect came up shooting.

There was no provocation, no reason, Lindberg said.