James J. Sullivan

Omaha Police Department — Omaha, NE

Felonious

End of Watch April 4, 1931

Age 31

The Vigil Panel 61 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 24

Incident

Officer James Sullivan was shot and killed while conducting a robbery stakeout at a local service station at S 30th Street and Parker Street. He was concealed inside a small room in the service station when two suspects entered and attempted to rob the attendant. The suspects heard Officer Sullivan and then exchanged shots with him. Officer Sullivan was shot four times and fatally wounded. One of the suspects was arrested along with his brother who drove the getaway car four days later. The third suspect, a 17-year-old juvenile, was captured in Stockton, California, one week later. The suspect who drove the getaway car was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The other two were convicted of Officer Sullivan's murder and sentenced to life in prison on April 29, 1931. In 1940 the sentence of one of the suspects was reduced to 22 years.

Survivors

Officer Sullivan was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NE-40D6676B
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 Sullivan served with the Omaha Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Omaha community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Sullivan.

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

Agency

Department Omaha Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Omaha, Douglas County, NE

Platform Identity opd.douglas.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 4, 1931

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Officer James J. Sullivan 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 NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 64.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Omaha Police Department, 21 of 25 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 84% of this agency's fallen.

Omaha Police Department

of 25 officers

84% Felonious

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

64.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious