List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States in the 19th century

This is a list of people reported killed by non-military law enforcement officers in the United States in the 19th centuryin , whether in the line of duty or not, and regardless of reason or method. The listing documents the occurrence of a death, making no implications regarding wrongdoing or justification on the part of the person killed or officer involved. Killings are arranged by date of the incident that caused death. Different death dates, if known, are noted in the description. This page lists people. The table below lists people.

19th century

The table below lists people. Date Name (age) of deceased State (political subdivision)Description1899-12-25 Harvey Dodd Missouri (Jefferson City) As an officer arrested a woman, Dodd shot at the officer, but missed. The officer shot him twice.1899-12-25 William Thomas Alabama (Birmingham) Thomas assaulted an officer responding to a disturbance. The officer shot him five times. 1899-10-29 Henderson Wyatt Georgia (Columbus) Wyatt assaulted an officer responding to a burglary. The officer fatally shot him.1899-10-08 unidentified male California (Alameda) Police responding to a burglary were shot at by three men. Two officers were wounded before one officer shot and killed one of the suspects. Another was arrested, while a third escaped.1899-08-21 James Birch Indiana (Indianapolis) Birch was shot by an officer after he shot and injured the policeman.1899-07-22 Michael O'Donnell Illinois (Chicago) O'Donnell was shot by an officer when he and a friend refused to alight from a train they were freighthopping.1899-06-28 Hugh Gerah Oklahoma (Tecumseh) Gerah was shot and killed by a policeman, who was arrested.1899-05-17 unidentified male Illinois (Chicago) A policeman was assaulted by several Italian men on Polk Street. The officer fired into the crowd, killing a man and wounding two others.1899-02-18Harry SloanKentucky (Enterprise)1899-02-10William Harvey (32)Massachusetts (Worcester)Patrolman Ira F. Goodwin fired a shot at a fleeing suspect who had allegedly failed to heed verbal commands and a warning shot. Harvey, an uninvolved passerby, was struck by the bullet and died several minutes later. Goodwin was arrested and charged with manslaughter. Goodwin was formally indicted, but his case was adjourned and he returned to duty in February 1900.1899-02-10 Edward Leach Illinois (Chicago) Leach, a police officer, was fatally shot by Patrick Furlong, another officer, after a political quarrel.1898-12-26unnamed Black manNorth Carolina (Raleigh)1898-12-21Jacob LambertKentucky (Middlesboro)Geer or Greerunknown man1898-12-11Charles Tracy (16)Indiana (Indianapolis)1898-11-22Private PattonTennessee (Knoxville)1898-10-10Howard ClarkKentucky (Owensboro)Hattie Mahoney1898-09-12Edward Alex CallaghanTexas (Galveston)1898-08-16unnamed manPennsylvania (Clearfield)1898-08-15Wm. JohnsonOhio/Oklahoma/Oregon (?) (Springfield)1898-08-09Frank KanteMissouri (St Louis)1898-08-08J. E. LoughridgeArkansas (El Dorado)1898-08-06J. NelsonMontana (Helena)1898-07-26Sanders KirbyKentucky (Paducah)1898-07-11unnamed Black manGeorgia (Atlanta)1898-05-16 (?)William Stewart (17)Kansas (Kansas City)1897-12-15James MerriweatherArkansas (Hamburg)1897-10-27Thomas M. HoweRhode Island (Providence)Howe, who was intoxicated, shot and wounded an officer who attempted to guide him home. The officer chased Howe into the woods as Howe fired at him and shot Howe, who died at the scene.1897-09-10Michael CheslockPennsylvania (Hazleton)Lattimer massacreSebastian Bozestoski (35)John Chobonshi (23)Adalbert Czaja (27)John Futa (29)John Gastack (32)Antonio Grazke (33)Frank Kodel (24)Andrew Kollick (30)Andre Nikzkowuski (27)Rulof Rekenits (35)John Ruski (28)John Sheka (27)John Tranke (32)John Turnasdich (27)Stephen Urich (27)Andrew Varicku (28)Andrew Yerkman (31)Stanley Zagorski (45)Adam Zamoski (26)Andrew Zeminski (31)John Zernovick (33)1897-03-09 Henry Sullivan California (San Francisco) Sullivan was shot two times by Policeman George Dougherty, who then attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head.1896-11-15Cy MooreMissouri (Keytesville)1896-09-09James Linhart (5)Illinois (Chicago)1896-04-24John SchanlonKansas (Atchison)1895-03-09Jim "Riley" FreemanIowa (Boone)Tim Lanman1895-02-02Maurice D. FentonMassachusetts (Holyoke)1895-01-08James SmithOklahoma (South Enid)James Brown1894-12-25 Charles Gallagher Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) Gallagher, along with John Morell and William Slaar, assaulted an officer attempting to arrest a friend named William Brown. The officer opened fire, killing Gallagher.1894-12-15Unnamed personAlabama (Birmingham)Two alleged horse thieves were killed by officers.Unnamed person 1895-12-14Lizzie Durr (13) Birmingham, Alabama A police officer shot and killed Durr as she and a friend gathered coal from a train car. The officer claimed Durr jumped on him, causing his gun to discharge, but Durr's friend claimed she was shot while they were running away. Durr had been shot in the back of the head.1894-09-27Unnamed manUtah (Salt Lake City)Unnamed man1894-09-20Unnamed Italian manTennessee (Bristol)1894-08-21Edward SaxsonPennsylvania (Philadelphia)1894-08-01Jennie JonesPennsylvania (Phillipsburg)Jones, the wife of a striking coal miner, was shot and killed by deputy sheriff James Meyers.1894-07-14Unnamed Italian manNew Jersey (Hoboken)1894-06-28 Elmer Schmidt California (Sacramento) Schmidt was shot as he fled arrest.1994-06-14EddingerCalifornia (Cottonwood)1894-05-12Joseph SchnellbachNew York (Manhattan)1894-05-09Unnamed manMichigan (Bay City)1894-04-18Unnamed strikerMichigan (Detroit)Unnamed striker1894-03-20Jack Hippart Jr.Florida (Jacksonville)Jack Hippart Sr.1894-01-31Charles AradoIllinois (Chicago)1893-09-28R. G. HarrisArizona (Phoenix)Bob Dunlap1893-05-09John ElksPennsylvania (Greensburg)Unnamed Hungarian manUnnamed Hungarian man1892-12-07M. V. SherrellAlabama (Birmingham)1892-11-16John EatonNorth Carolina (Mocksville)1892-11-05Ned ChristieOklahoma (Tahlequah)1892-06-29 Robert Kirlin California (San Francisco) Kirlin attempted to stab an officer with a cheese knife and was shot dead.1891-11-27 surname Parker Utah (Salt Lake City) Parker, a police captain, disputed with another officer, Albright. Parker attempted to shoot Albright with a revolver, and Albright shot Parker dead.1891-02-11 John May California (San Francisco) May was shot in the back and killed as he ran away from police. The officer responsible said that he only meant to scare May.1890-12-15Sitting BullSouth Dakota (Standing Rock Indian Reservation)Death of Sitting Bull1890-11-03 James Edwards Tennessee (Kingston) Edwards and town marshal John M. Webster Jr. fatally shot each other as Webster attempted to arrest Edwards.1890-09-30 John Davenport (11) Massachusetts (Boston) A patrolman heard a noise from a residential yard and saw two people fleeing the area. According to the officer, after verbal commands failed, he fired a shot to frighten the suspects, which fatally wounded Davenport.1890-03-17John McCannColorado (Monte Visto)Charles HarrisThomas Gallagher1890-03-07B. RobertsonKansas (Valley Falls)1889‑08‑14 David S. Terry (66) California (Lathrop) Chief Justice of California David S. Terry attempted to assault U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Johnson Field at a train station in Lathrop, California. Field's bodyguard, U.S. Marshal David Neagle, shot and killed Terry. This event led to the U.S. Supreme Court decision In re Neagle.1889-04-23"Burris"Arkansas (Little Rock)1888-07-05Mike LaughlinNebraska (Benkleman)1888-07-03James McGeorgeKentucky (Louisville)While intoxicated, two Deputies began fighting each other, leading to a struggle over McGeorges weapon. Bill Smith1888-05-01John ReardonKansas (Olatus)1884-09-27Thomas CallahanMassachusetts (Boston)While an officer arrested an intoxicated man, several of the detainee's friends, including Callahan, attacked the officer in an attempt to free their friend. According to the officer, he fired three shots into the ground in order to scare his attackers, which struck Callahan and killed him.1879-04-22John M. DentMississippi (Vicksburg)1872-07-28Matthew MaddenNew York (Manhattan)An officer shot into a crowd and fatally wounded Madden. 1870-03-31Henry Truman(26) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Officer John Whiteside chased Truman into an alley after a shoplifting. When Truman asked the officer what he did wrong, Whiteside shot him. Whiteside was found guilty of manslaughter.1858‑11‑10 John Hollis New York (Manhattan) Longshoreman Hollis allegedly threatened to kill ship captain Thomas Conway for not giving him a job on his crew. Conway called police. Officer Robert Cairnes responded, and Hollis ran away. Cairnes pursued, firing his pistol after him. Two shots missed, before a cartman grabbed Hollis's collar and held him. Cairnes ran up exclaiming, "You will get away from me, will you?" and shot directly into Hollis's back, so close that his coat caught fire. A coroner's jury ruled the fatal shooting was not justifiable, but a grand jury declined to indict the officer.1855-05-21FreemanMissouri (St. Louis)Freeman, a free Black man and abolitionist, was killed by police while trying to help slaves escape from captivity in Missouri.1853-11-16John RaginOhio (Cincinnati)1852-05-04James GillespiePennsylvania (Philadelphia)1852-01-29Warren C. NorrisCalifornia (San Francisco)

See also

References