Roll of Honor

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Officer

James Jenkins Spann

Abilene Police Department — Abilene, TX

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch June 17, 1954

Age 27

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Badge 130

The Vigil Panel 90 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 7

Incident

Officer James Spann was shot and killed following a hostage standoff. A man had taken several hostages in an attempt to demand a ransom. After his plans were foiled he attempted to flee and engaged officers in a shootout near a gas station around 8:30 p.m. Officer Spann was shot 4 times and was fatally wounded. The suspect, 33, who had served a previous prison sentence for homicide, was also shot and wounded. He was later sentenced to 99 years in prison. Officer Spann, who served in the U.S.

Survivors

Navy during WWII, was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-CE2EAA3C
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. James is one person.

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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.
Officer Spann gave the Abilene Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Abilene 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

Department Abilene Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Abilene, TX

Platform Identity apd.taylor.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 17, 1954

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 27

Badge Number 130

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

James Jenkins Spann served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer James Jenkins Spann 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 Abilene Police Department, 2 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Abilene Police Department

of 8 officers

25% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,460

of 2,421 officers

60.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious