Claude Silas Lynch

Tulsa Police Department — Tulsa, OK

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch November 28, 1948

Age 48

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 85 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 41

Incident

Police Officer Claude Lynch was shot and killed as he and his partner were arresting a suspect for firing a gun in public.

While driving to the police station, the subject grabbed Police Officer Lynch's partner's gun. As his partner and the subject struggled, Officer Lynch exited the vehicle at Easton Street and Greenwood Avenue and attempted to disarm the subject. The subject fired three shots, striking Officer Lynch in the neck.

The suspect was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.

The Easton Street and Greenwood Avenue intersection does not exist today. The location is the Mabel B. Little Heritage House, a replica home and beauty shop which had been located on the corner of Greenwood Avenue and Easton Street.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OK-4872834C
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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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.
Police Officer Lynch gave the Tulsa Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tulsa community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Tulsa Police Department

Location Tulsa, OK

Platform Identity tpd.tulsa.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 28, 1948

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Military Service

Claude Silas Lynch served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Claude Silas Lynch is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Tulsa Police Department, 30 of 42 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.

Tulsa Police Department

of 42 officers

71.4% Felonious

OK — Statewide

403

of 582 officers

69.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious