Donald A. Brown

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA

Felonious

End of Watch May 24, 1974

Age 64

Tour of Duty 29 yrs

The Vigil Panel 113 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Patrolman Donald Brown was shot and killed during a robbery while escorting a store manager to the bank in the American Legion Shopping Center at 630 American Legion Highway. A car containing four individuals pulled up alongside Patrolman Brown and the store manager, and one of the men announced a robbery. Patrolman Brown was shot as he attempted to draw his service revolver. The four got away with $3,000. A month later, one suspect, 28, surrendered to Boston Police. Patrolman Brown had served with the Boston Police Department for 29 years and was murdered one month prior to his planned retirement.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-0C5ABE62
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Donald. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

29 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Brown gave the Boston Police Department 29 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Brown.

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

Agency

Department Boston Police Department

Location Roxbury Crossing, MA

Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 24, 1974

Tour of Duty 29 yrs

Age 64

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Not available

Patrolman Donald A. Brown 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Boston Police Department, 45 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.5% of this agency's fallen.

Boston Police Department

of 106 officers

42.5% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious