John E. McDaniel
Agency patch
Patrolman

John E. McDaniel

Atlanta Police Department — Atlanta, GA
Felonious
End of Watch August 19, 1928
Age 49
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 55 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John McDaniel was shot when he responded to a disturbance between two acquaintances.

When Patrolman McDaniel attempted to arrest one of the men, he was shot. He was transported to the hospital, but died three days later of his wound.

The suspect was apprehended, convicted of murder, and sentenced to death. The Georgia Supreme Court overturned his conviction and he was tried a second time, again convicted of murder, and again sentenced to death.

On August 21st, 1930, the subject, along with another condemned murderer, escaped from the Fulton County Jail. He was recaptured six years later in Enid, Oklahoma, and returned to Georgia. On October 14th, 1936, Governor Herman E. Talmadge commuted his sentence to life. On May 22nd, 1938, he escaped from a prison work camp in Chattooga County. He was recaptured two weeks later in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Just before he was to be returned to Georgia, Oklahoma officials discovered that he was responsible for the attempted murder of a man and his wife in Hennessay, Oklahoma, just before he was recaptured the first time. On August 9th, 1938, he was convicted of two counts of attempted murder and sentenced to two concurrent 10 year sentences in the Oklahoma Penitentiary.

Patrolman McDaniel had served with the Atlanta Police Department for 17 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-57A426E4
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.
Patrolman McDaniel gave the Atlanta Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman McDaniel.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Atlanta, Fulton County, GA
Platform Identity apd.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 19, 1928
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 49
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Patrolman John E. McDaniel 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 GA, 549 of 905 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 60.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Atlanta Police Department, 58 of 88 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.9% of this agency's fallen.

Atlanta Police Department
58
of 88 officers
65.9% Felonious
GA — Statewide
549
of 905 officers
60.7% 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 E. McDaniel's cause is highlighted.

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

How John E. McDaniel Compares

Age at Death
49
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
17
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John E. McDaniel is highlighted in Aug.

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 E. McDaniel was killed by handgun.

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