Officer Neibert was shot and killed after arresting two hobos for vagrancy. The two men overpowered and him and shot him. He was able to give other officers a description of the two men before succumbing to his wounds. The two men were arrested but were later released when it was determined that they had nothing to do with the murder. The killers were never identified.

Officer Niebert was a Civil War veteran, having served with the 35th Iowa Infantry.