Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer John Ferguson was stabbed to death while responding to a report of a mentally deranged person stabbing citizens at Mechanic Street and Seventeenth Street.
When Officer Ferguson approached the subject, he was stabbed twice in the heart. He was taken to a local home where he succumbed to his wounds 20 minutes later.
The suspect was apprehended. After a mistrial and requesting another delay, the subject was shot and killed in retaliation. The subject who shot him was found not guilty.
Officer Ferguson had served with the Galveston Police Department for five years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-BDD4AF1A- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
153 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Ferguson gave the Galveston Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Galveston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer John Ferguson 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 Galveston Police Department, 10 of 19 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 52.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Ferguson's cause is highlighted.
How John Ferguson Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Ferguson is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Ferguson was killed by edged weapon; knife.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
18 officers from Galveston Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
