Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Sergeant James Armstrong succumbed to gunshot wound sustained one week earlier in Union Station after locating a suspect who had robbed a business on 14th Street, NW, and murdered the storekeeper. During the arrest attempt the man shot Sergeant Armstrong three times at close range. Although mortally wounded, Sergeant Armstrong was able to subdue the suspect long enough for other officers to arrest him. The killer was sentenced to death for Sergeant Armstrong's murder and subsequently executed on March 17th, 1922. Sergeant Armstrong had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for 16 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-F5B03DD6- 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.
Detective Sergeant Armstrong gave the Metropolitan Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Armstrong.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Sergeant James E. Armstrong 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 Metropolitan Police Department, 70 of 131 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James E. Armstrong's cause is highlighted.
How James E. Armstrong Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James E. Armstrong is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James E. Armstrong was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
130 officers from Metropolitan Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
