Gerald M. Harmon
Agency patch
Officer

Gerald M. Harmon

Richmond Police Department — Richmond, VA
Felonious
End of Watch August 24, 1919
Age 24
Tour of Duty 3 mo
The Vigil Panel 37 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Gerald Harmon succumbed to a gunshot wound received three months earlier after apprehending two bootlegging suspects on May 2nd, 1919. He took the men into custody and walked them to a call box on Brook Road near the Seaboard Air Line Railroad crossing. As they waited for the patrol wagon to arrive one of the suspects produced a handgun and shot Officer Harmon in the chest. He succumbed to his wound three months later. Three suspects were later arrested by members of the Richmond Police Department and Virginia Department of Prohibition. The subjects had hidden 24 cases of whiskey in the woods near the railroad tracks. The suspect who shot Officer Harmon was convicted of attempted murder before he died. He was sentenced to 7 years. Officer Harmon had only served with the Richmond Police Department for approximately three months at the time of the shooting.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-VA-B0BF19AC
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Harmon served with the Richmond Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Richmond community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Harmon.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Richmond, VA
Platform Identity rpd.richmond.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 24, 1919
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Age 24
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Officer Gerald M. Harmon 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 VA, 394 of 656 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.1% of this state's fallen. That is 60.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Richmond Police Department, 20 of 40 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Richmond Police Department
20
of 40 officers
50% Felonious
VA — Statewide
394
of 656 officers
60.1% 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. Gerald M. Harmon's cause is highlighted.

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

How Gerald M. Harmon Compares

Age at Death
24
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Gerald M. Harmon is highlighted in Aug.

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. Gerald M. Harmon was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location