John D. Gates
Agency patch
Officer

John D. Gates

Oklahoma City Police Department — Oklahoma City, OK
Felonious
End of Watch March 23, 1930
Age 26
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 59 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Jack Gates was shot and killed while attempting to stop a robbery of a grocery store at 1412 North Robinson. The two suspects were captured several days later and sentenced to life in prison. One, age 28 at the time of his arrest, died in prison on October 26, 1949. Officer Gates had only served with the Oklahoma City Police Department for three weeks. His brother, Officer Douglas Gates, was shot and killed in the line of duty on December 3rd, 1933, while also serving with the Oklahoma City Police Department.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
NW-V5NV-1JZR-G earlier record number BO-US-OK-964D930A
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Gates served with the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Oklahoma City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Gates.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Other
Location Oklahoma City, Canadian County, OK
Platform Identity opd.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 23, 1930
Tour of Duty
Age 26
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,741 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.2% of the 27,543 remembered there.

33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1930, 239 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 2nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 26. Of the 14,215 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 0.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.2% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Oklahoma City Police Department has 33 officers remembered here, John among them.

VI

Where

Officer John D. Gates

Oklahoma City Police Department · End of Watch March 23, 1930

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 53-W

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