James E. Anderson
Detective

James E. Anderson

San Antonio Police Department — San Antonio, TX
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch July 1, 1975
Age 39
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 115 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective James Anderson was shot and killed when he responded to an officer down call at 423 Pike Road in San Antonio. The officer who had just been wounded had responded to the scene of a domestic dispute. An intoxicated man had just shot at two of his sons, wounding one of them, and then wounded the responding officer. Detective Anderson responded to the scene, and as he exited his patrol car, he was shot in the head by the suspect, who was armed with a .243 caliber rifle with a scope. The suspect committed suicide later in the day. Detective Anderson was a United States Army veteran of the Korean War and had served with the San Antonio Police Department for 18 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, son, parents, two sisters, and three brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-6A12258A
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Detective Anderson gave the San Antonio Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Antonio community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location San Antonio, Bexar County, TX
Platform Identity sapd.bexar.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 1, 1975
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Military Service

James E. Anderson served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective James E. Anderson 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At San Antonio Police Department, 40 of 64 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.

San Antonio Police Department
40
of 64 officers
62.5% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,460
of 2,421 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James E. Anderson's cause is highlighted.

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

How James E. Anderson Compares

Age at Death
39
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
18
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James E. Anderson 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. James E. Anderson was killed by rifle.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

James E. Anderson served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit James E. Anderson’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.