Alex Brown
Agency patch
Detective

Alex Brown

Joplin Police Department — Joplin, MO
Felonious
End of Watch December 18, 1928
Age 43
The Vigil Panel 56 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Alex Brown was shot and killed by a forgery suspect at a home at 220 Terry Street in Carterville. When Detective Brown went to the suspect’s home to question him the man pulled a gun and disarmed Detective Brown. The suspect then ran to Detective Brown's car to escape as Detective Brown went to a neighbor’s house to obtain a shotgun. As Detective Brown confronted the suspect the shotgun failed to fire and the man fatally shot him. On January 14th, 1929, the 26-year-old suspect was apprehended in Marshall, Texas, after being shot in the arm by police during a chase. He was returned to Joplin, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life in prison.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-1B14A1F0
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.
Detective Brown served with the Joplin Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Joplin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Brown.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Joplin, Jasper County, MO
Platform Identity jpd.jasper.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 18, 1928
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Detective Alex Brown is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Joplin Police Department, 17 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 81% of this agency's fallen.

Joplin Police Department
17
of 21 officers
81% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Alex Brown's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Alex Brown Compares

Age at Death
43
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Alex Brown is highlighted in Dec.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Alex Brown was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location