John A. Armstrong
Agency patch
Constable

John A. Armstrong

Tecumseh Police Department — Tecumseh, OK
Felonious
End of Watch November 7, 1940
Age 59
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
The Vigil Panel 77 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Constable Armstrong was shot and killed as he and another constable attempted to serve court papers on a man for an unpaid debt. The constables were ordered to collect $7.10 or confiscate the man's car. When they confronted the man, he went into his house, retrieved a shotgun, and shot Constable Armstrong in the chest.

A month later the suspect, 39, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Constable Armstrong had served with the Tecumseh Police Department for 16 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-F3DA4043
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.
Constable Armstrong gave the Tecumseh Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tecumseh community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Armstrong.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Tecumseh, Pottawatomie County, OK
Platform Identity tpd.pottawatomie.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 7, 1940
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Age 59
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun

Constable John A. 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 OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 69.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Tecumseh Police Department, 3 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Tecumseh Police Department
3
of 3 officers
100% Felonious
OK — Statewide
403
of 582 officers
69.2% 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. John A. Armstrong's cause is highlighted.

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

How John A. Armstrong Compares

Age at Death
59
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
16
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John A. Armstrong is highlighted in Nov.

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. John A. Armstrong was killed by shotgun.

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Tecumseh Police Department are honored on badge.nw.