Curtis C. Burks
Agency patch
Special Agent

Curtis C. Burks

Felonious
End of Watch July 22, 1931
Age 36
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 62 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Special Agent Curtis Burks succumbed to gunshot wounds when he was shot while serving a search warrant at 1039 Independence Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri, on July 20, 1931. Agent Burks and a dozen other agents and local officers were conducting a raid on a local flower shop. During the raid, they discovered a few men in the backroom. As they searched, one of the men suddenly pulled out a .45 caliber handgun and fatally shot Agent Burks and wounded a second agent. He then ran outside, where he shot a bystander and a Kansas City police officer. He was shot and killed by a lieutenant in the Kansas City Police Department. Agent Burks had served with the United States Department of Justice - Bureau of Prohibition for 1 1/2 years. Survivors include his wife and son. Please click here to view additional officers killed by "Pretty Boy" Floyd and his gang.

Survivors

Survivors include his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FF99E304
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

You barely got started.
Special Agent Burks gave the United States Department of Justice 1 year.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Burks.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdjbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 22, 1931
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Special Agent Curtis C. Burks 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of Justice - Bureau of Prohibition, 22 of 35 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.9% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Justice - Bureau of Prohibition
22
of 35 officers
62.9% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,418 officers
53.2% 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. Curtis C. Burks's cause is highlighted.

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

How Curtis C. Burks Compares

Age at Death
36
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
1.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Curtis C. Burks is highlighted in Jul.

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. Curtis C. Burks was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location