John D. Gates
Officer

John D. Gates

Oklahoma City Police Department — Oklahoma City, OK
Felonious
End of Watch March 23, 1930
Age 26
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 59 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Jack Gates was shot and killed while attempting to stop a robbery of a grocery store at 1412 North Robinson. The two suspects were captured several days later and sentenced to life in prison. One, age 28 at the time of his arrest, died in prison on October 26, 1949. Officer Gates had only served with the Oklahoma City Police Department for three weeks. His brother, Officer Douglas Gates, was shot and killed in the line of duty on December 3rd, 1933, while also serving with the Oklahoma City Police Department.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-964D930A
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 Gates served with the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Oklahoma City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Gates.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Oklahoma City, OK
Platform Identity opd.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 23, 1930
Tour of Duty
Age 26
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Officer John D. Gates 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 Oklahoma City Police Department, 20 of 33 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.6% of this agency's fallen.

Oklahoma City Police Department
20
of 33 officers
60.6% 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 D. Gates's cause is highlighted.

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

How John D. Gates Compares

Age at Death
26
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.1
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John D. Gates is highlighted in Mar.

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 D. Gates was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location