SHAMOKIN DAM---On June 10, 1983 Charlie Attig, Jr. was working a shift as a Shamokin Dam police officer when he was shot and killed by a man police said was angry about a traffic ticket.
Investigators said Dean Troutman was looking for the officer who gave him the ticket when he shot and killed Attig instead.
For that, Troutman got life in state prison without parole.
Attig's family and friends were left with just memories.
My husband's niece called and said there was a policeman shot in Shamokin Dam and all I said was,'Oh, no I hope it wasn't Charlie. ' but it was," said Attig's mother, Rosa who said she remembers that day clearly.
Charlie's mother still lives in Shamokin Dam and said she thinks of her son always, but 30 years after his death, she was surprised when the mayor of Shamokin Dam declared the anniversary "Officer Charles Attig Memorial Day. "
"And then when they called and said the mayor wants to see you, it was a surprise," she said.
The mayor said it was just something he had to do.
"It just seemed to me to be important that we remember take the time to stand back and remember the contributions that Officer Attig made. He wasn't just a great police officer, he was a great person. He actually took the time to mentor the young people in this community. We kind of made him our unofficial youth officer," said mayor Joe McGanaghan.
Attig was in his mid-twenties when he was killed.
A portion of US Routes 11 and 15 has been named in his honor.
Rosa Attig said the community support over the years has been a comfort.
"The way everything went, in the courtroom and afterwards, that was you know all over signs in memory of, it was super. I never expected something, well I'd never seen anything like that. It was nice," she said.