Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective John Mulligan was shot and killed while working a secondary employment detail. He was shot five times in the face, execution-style, as he sat in his car at a store at 972 American Legion Highway. After shooting Detective Mulligan, the two subjects stole his service weapon and fled. Two suspects were arrested and subsequently convicted of first-degree murder and other related charges in 1995. One of the men had his conviction overturned in 2000 and later plead guilty to a reduced charge of manslaughter. In September 2006, that subject admitted to his participation in the execution-style killing of Detective Mulligan. The second subject also had his first-degree murder conviction overturned on appeal in 2015. The remaining convictions against the man for possessing the murder weapon and Detective Mulligan's service weapon remained unchanged. Detective Mulligan had served with the Boston Police Department for 27 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his two sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-C5D52910- 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
27 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Mulligan gave the Boston Police Department 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Mulligan.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective John James Mulligan 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 42.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Boston Police Department, 45 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John James Mulligan's cause is highlighted.
How John James Mulligan Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John James Mulligan is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John James Mulligan was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
105 officers from Boston Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
