Maurice Leahy Jr.
Agency patch
Police Officer

Maurice Leahy Jr.

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch July 29, 1921
Age 29
The Vigil Panel 41 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Maurice Leahy succumbed to wounds suffered three days earlier after being involved in a gunbattle with two freight car thieves in Highland Park, Illinois. Officer Leahy walked in on freight car burglars and was shot once by one suspect. Officer Leahy, having been under fire before, did not fall. He charged at the two suspects and was struck on the head with the butt of a revolver, but again did not fall. Officer Leahy was able to fire five times, killing one suspect. The other suspect was later captured by police. Officer Leahy died three days later of complications from the bullet wound. Officer Leahy served as a soldier during WWI in the American Expeditionary Force.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-1A2D3BB4
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 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.
Police Officer Leahy served with the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago 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

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, IL
Platform Identity cnrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 29, 1921
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Maurice Leahy Jr. served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Maurice Leahy 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 97,772 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 Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Police Department, 14 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Police Department
14
of 18 officers
77.8% Felonious
IL — Statewide
842
of 1,318 officers
63.9% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Maurice Leahy Jr.'s cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Maurice Leahy Jr. Compares

Age at Death
29
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Maurice Leahy Jr. 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. Maurice Leahy Jr. was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Maurice Leahy Jr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Maurice Leahy Jr.’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.