Nephi P. Pierce
Agency patch
Sergeant

Nephi P. Pierce

Salt Lake City Police Department — Salt Lake City, UT
Felonious
End of Watch March 26, 1923
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 44 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Pierce succumbed to a gunshot wound received four months earlier when he and his partner attempted to question two suspicious men on State Street between 5th and 6th Streets. One of the men suddenly produced a handgun and shot Sergeant Pierce. The suspect then attacked the other officer and beat him severely. The two men escaped but were later apprehended. The shooter was sentenced to death and executed by firing squad on February 20, 1925.

Survivors

Sergeant Pierce had been with the agency for 17 years and was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-UT-69D5B744
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.
Sergeant Pierce gave the Salt Lake City Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Salt Lake City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Pierce.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT
Platform Identity slpd.saltlake.ut.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 26, 1923
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Sergeant Nephi P. Pierce 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 UT, 84 of 138 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this state's fallen. That is 60.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Salt Lake City Police Department, 14 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this agency's fallen.

Salt Lake City Police Department
14
of 23 officers
60.9% Felonious
UT — Statewide
84
of 138 officers
60.9% 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. Nephi P. Pierce's cause is highlighted.

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

How Nephi P. Pierce Compares

Years of Service
17
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Nephi P. Pierce is highlighted in Mar.

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. Nephi P. Pierce was killed by handgun.

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