John Jack Coleman
Detective

John Jack Coleman

El Paso Police Dept. — El Paso, TX
Felonious
End of Watch July 14, 1924
The Vigil Panel 47 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Coleman was shot and killed after being ambushed while driving down the street. Detective Coleman turned the corner when the suspect, standing in some trees, opened fire. The suspect was later arrested and sentenced to death before his sentence was commuted to life in prison. In October 1926, the offender escaped from Blue Ridge Prison Farm in Hobby, Texas with two other inmates. None of the three were ever recaptured.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-13C8D578
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Coleman served with the El Paso Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the El Paso community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Coleman.

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

Agency

Location El Paso, TX
Platform Identity eppd.elpaso.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 14, 1924
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Sentence commuted to life in prison

Detective John Jack Coleman is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At El Paso Police Dept., 23 of 34 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 67.6% of this agency's fallen.

El Paso Police Dept.
23
of 34 officers
67.6% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,463
of 2,421 officers
60.4% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Jack Coleman's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How John Jack Coleman Compares

Offender Outcome

Sentence commuted to life in prison

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Jack Coleman is highlighted in Jul.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Jack Coleman was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518