Melvin Oliver Miner
Agency patch
Patrolman

Melvin Oliver Miner

Norman Police Department — Norman, OK
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch July 30, 1972
Age 25
Tour of Duty 6 mo
Badge 9
The Vigil Panel 110 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Melvin Miner was killed in a shootout with a man who had just murdered his own parents. The subject had been voluntarily admitted to a psychiatric facility but left and murdered his parents. Witnesses to the murder notified local law enforcement, who located the vehicle and began to pursue it into Norman. The pursuit entered the Lexington Crossing Mobile Home Park where the man drove into a cul-de-sac on Hippo Run. The man then exited his vehicle with a 12-gauge shotgun and opened fire on the officers as they exited their vehicles. Officer Miner was shot as he attempted to maneuver from his patrol car to find cover behind a mobile home. The man surrendered after shooting Officer Miner. The man was apprehended, convicted of all three murders, and sentenced to life in prison. He was released in 2015 as the result of failing health. Patrolman Miner was a United States Air Force veteran and had served with the Norman Police Department for only six months.

Survivors

He is survived by his son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-C2EB400F
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Melvin 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.
Patrolman Miner served with the Norman Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Norman 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 Norman, Cleveland County, OK
Platform Identity npd.cleveland.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 30, 1972
Tour of Duty 6 mo
Age 25
Badge Number 9
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Military Service

Melvin Oliver Miner served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Melvin Oliver Miner 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 69.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Norman Police Department, 1 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Norman Police Department
1
of 3 officers
33.3% Felonious
OK — Statewide
403
of 582 officers
69.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Melvin Oliver Miner's cause is highlighted.

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

How Melvin Oliver Miner Compares

Age at Death
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Melvin Oliver Miner 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. Melvin Oliver Miner was killed by shotgun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Melvin Oliver Miner served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

Visit Melvin Oliver Miner’s page on salute.nw →

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Norman Police Department are honored on badge.nw.