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Detective Sergeant

Thomas Joseph Sullivan

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department — St. Louis, MO

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 26, 1937

Age 45

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

The Vigil Panel 158 · Column 3 · Line 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 175

Incident

Detective Sergeant Thomas Sullivan was shot and killed while he and his partner investigated a rash of robberies in the area of Pine and Olive Streets. Although their shift had finished the two detectives continued their investigation and had gone to a local hotel at 3222 Olive Street to ask the clerk if he had seen anyone fitting the descriptions of the two suspects. The clerk took the detectives to a room where two such men were staying. The men in the room cracked the door open, slammed it, and then began shooting through it. The detectives returned fire and then kicked the door in. One of the suspects was killed and Detective Sergeant Sullivan was mortally wounded. The second suspect fled but was shot and killed by other officers as he attempted to escape in a stolen car. Detective Sergeant Sullivan had been shot five times and succumbed to the wounds the following day. The two suspects were escapees from Michigan and had committed approximately 15 robberies. Detective Sergeant Sullivan was a U.S. Army veteran and had been with the agency for 18 years. He was survived by his wife and three children. Two of his children followed in his footsteps and became St. Louis police officers.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Thomas is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Detective Sergeant Sullivan gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

Type Police Department

Location St. Louis, City of Saint Louis, MO

Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 26, 1937

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Thomas Joseph Sullivan served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1937, 123 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 41st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Thomas was 45. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Thomas had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded