John A. Olson

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Felonious

End of Watch October 20, 1938

Age 45

The Vigil Panel 75 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 570

Incident

Patrolman John Olson was fatally shot in the back after being hit from behind by one of two subjects at 9:48 a.m. Patrolman Olson was on duty, in uniform, while escorting an insurance company cashier to a bank at Crawford and North Avenues. At the southwest corner of Harding Avenue and North Avenue, one of the subjects jostled between the officer and the cashier, put a gun to the cashier, and grabbed the money bag. The other subject struck the officer from behind with a length of lead-filled rubber hose. Patrolman Olson, stunned from the blow, staggered forward in pursuit of the thief who was running with the money bag. He was trying to draw his revolver when the second subject shot him in the back. The two subjects fled on foot, the one who fired the shot running north on Harding Avenue to the next corner and then ran east and escaped. The length of hose was found near the scene, and later the zipper jacket worn by one of the killers was found as well as the fatal weapon, an Iver Johnson Revolver. There were many witnesses to the crime who were able to identify the killer and also furnished a description of the man who ran with the money. At a coroner’s inquest on October 21st, 1938, the verdict of "murder by unknown men" was returned.

Survivors

Patrolman John Olson is survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-CE001CD5
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Olson served with the Chicago Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Olson.

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

Agency

Department Chicago Police Department

Location Chicago, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 20, 1938

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Never apprehended

Patrolman John A. Olson 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

396

of 571 officers

69.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious