Michael W. Oakley
Agency patch
Patrolman

Michael W. Oakley

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch December 13, 1931
Age 36
Badge 5445
The Vigil Panel 63 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Michael Oakley was shot and mortally wounded when he became engaged in a shootout with possible robbers at the intersection of Damen Avenue and Bloomingdale Avenue as he walked home. He was transported to a local hospital where he died the following day. The main suspect, who was arrested and released, was a notorious gangster and known as the "king of beer runners" during prohibition. He was known to have grudges against several police officers. He survived more than a dozen assassination attempts and on September 25th, 1925 he survived the first machine gun attack in United States history. He died in 1962 of a heart attack. Patrolman Oakley was assigned to the Summerdale Station.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-62170B0E
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Oakley served with the Chicago Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Oakley.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 13, 1931
Age 36
Badge Number 5445
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Patrolman Michael W. Oakley 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 Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department
396
of 571 officers
69.4% 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. Michael W. Oakley's cause is highlighted.

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

How Michael W. Oakley Compares

Age at Death
36
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Michael W. Oakley is highlighted in Dec.

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. Michael W. Oakley was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location