Claude Silas Lynch
Agency patch
Police Officer

Claude Silas Lynch

Tulsa Police Department — Tulsa, OK
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch November 28, 1948
Age 48
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
The Vigil Panel 85 ›
Gender Male

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
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 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

Type 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 the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Claude Silas Lynch 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 97,759 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 69.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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
30
of 42 officers
71.4% Felonious
OK — Statewide
403
of 582 officers
69.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Claude Silas Lynch's cause is highlighted.

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

How Claude Silas Lynch Compares

Age at Death
48
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
15
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Claude Silas Lynch is highlighted in Nov.

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.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Claude Silas Lynch served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Claude Silas Lynch’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.