Share

John Dillinger biography

1 photo

Quick Facts

  • NAME: John Dillinger
  • OCCUPATION: Thief
  • BIRTH DATE: June 22, 1903
  • DEATH DATE: July 22, 1934
  • PLACE OF BIRTH: Indianapolis, Indiana
  • PLACE OF DEATH: Chicago, Illinois

Best Known For

John Dillinger was an infamous gangster and bank robber during the Great Depression, and was know as "Jackrabbit" and "Public Enemy No. 1."

Quiz

Think you know about Biography?

Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.

Play Now

Purvis decided to stake out the Biograph himself. Two other agents were posted at the Marboro. Purvis was standing just a few feet away from the theater entrance when the movie let out. As Dillinger passed, he looked Purvis directly in the eyes, but made no indication of recognition of suspicion. Following the pre-arranged signal, Purvis lit a cigar. As Dillinger and the two women walked down the street, Purvis quickly pulled out his gun, and yelled "Stick'em up, Johnnie, we have you surrounded!

" Dillinger began to run, reaching into his pants pocket to draw a gun. He entered an alley just as a volley of gunfire greeted him.

Four bullets hit his body, three from the rear and one from the front. Two bullets grazed his face just next to his left eye. A third, the fatal shot, entered the base of the neck and traveled upward hitting the second vertebra, then exiting below his right eye. Gradually, a crowd formed around Dillinger's lifeless body, and several people dabbed handkerchiefs into the blood for souvenirs. The police had to finally be called in to move people away so that federal agents could secure the scene and remove Dillinger's body.

Dillinger was taken to Alexian Brothers Hospital and officially pronounced dead before being taken to the Cook County Morgue. The crowd had followed the FBI agents and the body to the morgue and into the post-mortem room. Meanwhile, hundreds of spectators waited outside until late into the night, hoping to catch a glimpse of the slain outlaw. Throughout the next day, an estimated 15,000 people shuffled past the body of John Dillinger, before it was taken to McCready Funeral Home. From there he was placed in a hearse and given a police escort to the Indiana border for his journey back to Mooresville, Indiana. There at the Harvey Funeral Home, Dillinger's sister, Audrey, identified the body. He was given a Christian burial on July 25, 1934, and laid to rest in the family plot at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana.

© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.

ADVERTISEMENT
9274804 9274804
profile id: 9274804
profile name: John Dillinger
profile occupation:
related profile id: 9274804
related profile name: John Dillinger
related profile occupation:
related profile img: /imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/D/John-Dillinger-9274804-1-402.jpg
related profile URL: /people/john-dillinger-9274804
profile
pop
Your Connections

Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.

specific profile connection
See More Bio Connections
Your Friends' Connections
specific friend connection
Profile Connections
    Show More Connections
    Included In These Groups

    See all related groups

    Shop Bio
    John Dillinger DVD
    DVD
    $19.99

    Buy Now
    ADVERTISEMENT

    Celebrity Connections

    Show More Connections
    Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!