Franklin R. Patterson
Agency patch
Federal Prohibition Agent

Franklin R. Patterson

Felonious
End of Watch January 18, 1930
The Vigil Panel 59 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Prohibition Agent Frankin Patterson and Prohibition Agent Robert Moncure were shot and killed while serving a search warrant at the home of a bootlegger at 2403 S Poinsettia Avenue in West Palm Beach, Florida. The suspect opened fire on Agent Patterson in the kitchen and shot Agent Moncure on the front porch. Two other agents at the scene escaped without being wounded. The suspect was arrested 20 minutes later after a brief standoff with local police. The man was acquitted due to a technicality concerning the use of a daytime warrant around the time of sunset. The suspect also said he did not know a raid was taking place and was defending his home, although there had been three recent raids resulting in several cases of liquor being confiscated. Charges that resulted in the three raids were dropped. In 1934 the case was reopened and the suspect was convicted of assault on a federal officer and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. He died in 1958.

Survivors

Agent Patterson was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-93F4D0DF
Stewardship
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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.
Federal Prohibition Agent Patterson served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Patterson.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch January 18, 1930
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Federal Prohibition Agent Franklin R. Patterson 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 the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition, 20 of 37 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 54.1% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition
20
of 37 officers
54.1% 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. Franklin R. Patterson's cause is highlighted.

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

How Franklin R. Patterson Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Franklin R. Patterson is highlighted in Jan.

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. Franklin R. Patterson was killed by shotgun.

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

Incident Location