John L. Sullivan

Indianapolis Police Department — Indianapolis, IN

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch July 23, 1952

Age 30

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 88 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 58

Incident

Officer Jack Sullivan was shot and killed as he returned home from work and interrupted a 17-year-old youth who had broken into his house and was attacking his wife. Officer Sullivan, who was still in uniform, entered his bedroom to find his pregnant wife tied up and being raped by the suspect. As his wife yelled that he had a gun, the suspect shot him in the chest. He was able to return fire and wound the suspect in the arm. The youth was apprehended a short time later and sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled in 1978. Three years later, he was jailed after being caught driving without a license and felony possession of a firearm. Officer Sullivan was a United States Marine Corps WWII Purple Heart veteran who had served with the Indianapolis Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife, two children, parents, and four brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IN-CFF4A65D
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. John is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Sullivan gave the Indianapolis Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Indianapolis community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Indianapolis Police Department

Type Other

Location Indianapolis, Marion County, IN

Platform Identity ipd.marion.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 23, 1952

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

John L. Sullivan served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer John L. Sullivan 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In IN, 311 of 504 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Indianapolis Police Department, 38 of 59 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.4% of this agency's fallen.

Indianapolis Police Department

of 59 officers

64.4% Felonious

IN — Statewide

311

of 504 officers

61.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious