Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief John Struble was shot and killed by a thief whom he and an officer were attempting to arrest.
Chief Struble and an officer were watching a home, where for the past three nights, a refrigerator on an enclosed porch had been broken into and articles taken. When the suspect entered the porch about midnight, Chief Struble and the officer confronted him. As the officers struggled with the suspect he produced a pistol, shot Chief Struble through the head and fled into the darkness as the officer fired at him several times.
On November 12, 1913, a man arrested in Des Moines, Iowa, for breaking into a boxcar was charged with Chief Struble's murder after he told police that he killed the chief and showed them a scar on his hand that he said came from a bullet fired by the officer. Later he recanted what he said. The suspect was acquitted after a farmer testified that the suspect was with him in Sciota, Illinois on the night of the murder. No other suspects were ever identified.
Chief Struble had served with the Clinton Police Department for 15 months.
Chief Struble and an officer were watching a home, where for the past three nights, a refrigerator on an enclosed porch had been broken into and articles taken. When the suspect entered the porch about midnight, Chief Struble and the officer confronted him. As the officers struggled with the suspect he produced a pistol, shot Chief Struble through the head and fled into the darkness as the officer fired at him several times.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-IL-432569BB- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
You barely got started.
Chief of Police Struble gave the Clinton Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Clinton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Struble.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police John Albert Struble 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 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 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Clinton Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Albert Struble's cause is highlighted.
How John Albert Struble Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Albert Struble is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Albert Struble was killed by handgun; pistol.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Clinton Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
