Roll of Honor

Prev Next

Officer

John Van Horn

Parsons Police Department — Parsons, KS

Felonious

End of Watch July 28, 1899

Age 42

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 15 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Officer Van Horn was shot and killed while attempting to arrest several members of a robbery gang. As he attempted to pull the last member off of a fence he was shot and killed.

The suspect was found guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to 15 years. He was released August 7, 1908.

Officer Van Horn had been with the agency for 18 months and was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Officer Van Horn had been with the agency for 18 months and was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KS-6BB80799
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew John. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

127 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Van Horn gave the Parsons Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Parsons community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Parsons Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Parsons, Labette County, KS

Platform Identity ppd.labette.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 28, 1899

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Officer John Van Horn 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 KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 70.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Parsons Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Parsons Police Department

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

KS — Statewide

237

of 335 officers

70.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Van Horn's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How John Van Horn Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

1.5

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Van Horn is highlighted in Jul.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John Van Horn was killed by gun; unknown type.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Parsons Police Department are honored on badge.nw.