John W. Causey
Agency patch
Patrolman

John W. Causey

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN
Felonious
End of Watch December 31, 1861
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 2 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Causey was stabbed to death by a man he was attempting to arrest off duty.

Patrolman Causey had entered a barber shop on Main Street at Gayosa Street, when he noticed a suspect who had escaped his custody three weeks earlier. He asked the suspect to step outside. Patrolman Causey was questioning the suspect when the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Patrolman Causey in the heart, killing him

Patrolman Causey had served with the Memphis Police Department for 11 years.

Patrolman Causey had entered a barber shop on Main Street at Gayosa Street, when he noticed a suspect who had escaped his custody three weeks earlier. He asked the suspect to step outside. Patrolman Causey was questioning the suspect when the suspect pulled out a knife and stabbed Patrolman Causey in the heart, killing him

Patrolman Causey, rest in peace.

Rabbi Lewis S. Davis January 16th, 2020

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TN-F6AE27BF
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

165 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Causey gave the Memphis Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Memphis, Shelby County, TN
Platform Identity mpd.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 31, 1861
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Patrolman John W. Causey 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 TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Memphis Police Department, 53 of 94 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 56.4% of this agency's fallen.

Memphis Police Department
53
of 94 officers
56.4% Felonious
TN — Statewide
498
of 769 officers
64.8% 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 W. Causey's cause is highlighted.

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

How John W. Causey Compares

Years of Service
11
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John W. Causey is highlighted in Dec.

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 W. Causey was killed by edged weapon; knife.

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

Incident Location