John R. Phelan

Baltimore Police Department — Baltimore, MD

Felonious

End of Watch September 29, 1956

Age 21

Tour of Duty 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 92 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 150

Incident

Police Officer John Phelan was shot and killed by a wounded suspect after the juvenile gained possession of his service revolver while he was watching him in the ambulance. He and another officer had just been involved in a shooting with the juvenile who had attempted to rob a liquor store with two accomplices. The juvenile was wounded in the leg during the shootout and was being transported to a hospital when he began to struggle with the officers in the ambulance. The ambulance came to a stop at the intersection of Baker Street and Poplar Grove Street. The subject and the two officers ended up outside of the ambulance. The boy was able to disarm Officer Phelan before shooting him in the chest and the other officer in the leg. The boy was shot a second time and taken into custody and then admitted in the hospital. His two companions, one his brother 19, and the other 22, were apprehended a few days later. The killer, 17, was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death. His sentenced was later commuted to life. The other two were convicted of robbing the liquor store and several more robberies. Both were sentenced to long prison terms. Officer Phelan had served with the Baltimore City Police Department for four months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-09776668
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.
Police Officer Phelan served with the Baltimore City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Phelan.

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

Agency

Department Baltimore Police Department

Type Other

Location Baltimore, MD

Platform Identity baltpd.baltimore.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 29, 1956

Tour of Duty 4 mo

Age 21

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Police Officer John R. Phelan 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 MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 51.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Baltimore Police Department, 80 of 151 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this agency's fallen.

Baltimore Police Department

of 151 officers

53% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious