John Robert Christian, Jr.

Harrisburg Police Bureau — Harrisburg, PA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch April 18, 1978

Age 35

Tour of Duty 11 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 119 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 6

Incident

Detective Corporal John Christian was shot and killed while moonlighting as a uniformed security officer at a Beer Distributor at 8:30 pm. He was informed of a robbery in progress in the Beer Distributors grocery store area and was shot and killed as he approached the robbery suspects outside as they were leaving the store. He was taken to Harrisburg Hospital where he died of his wounds three hours later. The 33-year-old suspect was apprehended in Trenton, New Jersey three days later. When Trenton and Harrisburg police officers raided his girlfriend's apartment they shot and seriously wounded him when he opened fire on them. The suspect was found guilty of First Degree Murder, four armed robberies, and sentenced to life plus four 10 to 20 year terms. Detective Corporal Christian was a U.S Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Harrisburg Police Bureau for 12 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-70FC955C
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Detective Corporal Christian gave the Harrisburg Police Bureau 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg Police Bureau

Type Police Department

Location Harrisburg, PA

Platform Identity hpbpd.dauphin.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 18, 1978

Tour of Duty 11 yrs 6 mo

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

John Robert Christian, Jr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective Corporal John Robert Christian, Jr. 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 97,756 officers honored here.

In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Harrisburg Police Bureau, 3 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Harrisburg Police Bureau

of 7 officers

42.9% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious