Coney corner to be co-named for Brooklyn cop killed in 1941

Patrolman Leon Fox was gunned down near the old Coney Island movie theatre in February 1941.

July 15, 2019 Meaghan McGoldrick

As of Monday night, the corner of West 12th Street and Surf Avenue will memorialize a police officer killed in the line of duty in 1941. Image via Google Maps

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On a Saturday night in 1941, Patrolman Leon Fox was gunned down on the job.

Tonight, more than 75 years later, he will be memorialized at the corner of West 12th Street and Surf Avenue in Coney Island, not far from where he was shot.

Late on Feb. 15, 1941, Fox — who was assigned to escort the manager of the old Coney Island movie theatre to the bank with the daily receipts — was shot in pursuit of three suspects who’d made off with the manager’s suitcase.

Fox, assigned to the 60th Precinct, had been on the force for a decade when he died.

Councilmember Chaim Deutsch, who represents nearby communities like Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay, submitted an application to the City Council to co-name the Coney corner for Fox.

Deutsch’s office told the Brooklyn Eagle that the idea was all Police Officer Albert Mammon’s — an acting officer at the precinct where Fox last served.

Patrolman Leon Fox. Photo courtesy of Councilmember Chaim Deutsch’s office

“This street co-naming is the perfect way to honor the memory of a fallen hero, and to ensure that his legacy of service lives on,” Deutsch said. “Police Officer Leon Fox was a beloved member of his community, who tragically lost his life in pursuit of three robbery suspects. Now, when members of the NYPD are struggling at a job where they are often unappreciated, it is more important than ever to show our support for New York’s Finest — including those who served decades ago.”

Fox is remembered fondly as a friendly neighborhood beat cop on NYPD Angels, an online forum for tributes to fallen officers.

His son Gerald Fox, now 85, is expected to fly in from California for the street co-naming, according to Deutsch’s office. He was just seven years old when his father was killed.

Police Commissioner James O’Neill is also expected to attend, as well as Leo Katz, a 92-year-old resident who still remembers when Fox would help him cross the street for school each morning.

The street co-naming ceremony will take place at 5 p.m.

The 60th Precinct serves Coney Island, Brighton Beach, West Brighton Beach and Sea Gate.