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Patrolman

John Dunn

New Orleans Police Department — New Orleans, LA
Felonious
United States flag Louisiana flag
End of Watch March 28, 1855
Age 38
The Vigil Panel 6 · Column 4 · Line 9 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 127

Incident

Patrolman John Dunn succumbed to a stab wound sustained the previous day when he was attacked by a group of men near the intersection of Phillippa Street and Union Street.

He was walking his beat when he noticed a group of men behaving disorderly and loudly. When he told the men to be quiet they attacked him, striking him in the left temple with an object from a sling-shot, fracturing his skull. He was then stabbed in the abdomen. Patrolman Dunn was taken to the Circus Street Infirmary where he succumbed to his wounds the following day.

One subject was found guilty of Patrolman Dunn's murder in May 1855 and sentenced to death. On July 1st, 1855, an additional four subjects were found guilty of being an accessory to murder and sentenced to life at the penitentiary with hard labor.

Patrolman Dunn was from Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, and three children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

171 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Dunn served with the New Orleans Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the New Orleans community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department New Orleans Police Department
Type Police Department
Location New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA
Platform Identity nopd.orleans.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 28, 1855
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1855, 14 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 166th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 38. 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.

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%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New Orleans Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman John Dunn

New Orleans Police Department · End of Watch March 28, 1855

Where the Name Is Cut

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