Christopher O. McClure
Agency patch
Special Agent

Christopher O. McClure

Felonious
End of Watch February 17, 1931
Age 36
Tour of Duty 1 mo
The Vigil Panel 61 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: Illinois Weapon: Handgun; .32 caliber Offender: Shot and killed

Special Agent Christopher McClure was shot and killed at 9:15 pm while investigating a group of three suspicious men near the Mt. Pulaski, Illinois, rail yards.

He and another agent were on a special detail to ride a freight train from Springfield to Mt. Pulaski to try to catch a ring of freight car thieves who had been breaking into trains in the Mt. Pulaski yards. As the train approached the yards the agents saw three men huddled around a fire next to the railroad right of way. The agents jumped off the train and circled around.

The other agent remained hidden in a nearby cornfield as Agent McClure called out to the suspects. The suspect approached him and as he squatted down, Agent McClure shined his light on the suspect and asked what was in his hand. The man immediately opened fire with a .32-caliber handgun, striking Agent McClure in the heart. Both agents returned fire, striking the suspect five times. Agent McClure succumbed to his wound at the scene. The suspect died the next day.

Agent McClure had served with the Illinois Central Railroad Police Department for only one month, but had been employed with the railroad for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-9A96BD9D
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.
Special Agent McClure served with the Illinois Central Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent McClure.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, IL
Platform Identity icrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 17, 1931
Tour of Duty 1 mo
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .32 caliber

Special Agent Christopher O. McClure 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Illinois Central Railroad Police Department, 10 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.

Illinois Central Railroad Police Department
10
of 12 officers
83.3% Felonious
IL — Statewide
842
of 1,318 officers
63.9% 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. Christopher O. McClure's cause is highlighted.

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

How Christopher O. McClure Compares

Age at Death
36
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.1
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Christopher O. McClure is highlighted in Feb.

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. Christopher O. McClure was killed by handgun; .32 caliber.

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

Incident Location