Omer Earl Davenport

Wabash Railway Police Department — St. Louis, MI

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch October 9, 1935

Age 39

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 70 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 5

Incident

Special Agent Omer Davenport was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend two men who were hopping onto a passenger train in the Wabash rail yards in Decatur, Illinois. The two suspects fled after shooting him. He was taken to the Wabash Employees Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. The suspects were never identified or apprehended. Special Agent Davenport had served with the Wabash Railway Police Department for six years and as chief of police of the Decatur Police Department for four years, while simultaneously serving as a deputy sheriff with the Macon County Sheriff's Department. He was also a WWI veteran, commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve at war's end. Upon his return home, he was appointed a captain in the Illinois National Guard where he commanded an infantry company at the Herron Massacre and, as a major, commanded a battalion during the Sangamon County Mine War, both extended martial law actions.

Survivors

Special Agent Davenport was survived by his wife, five young children, and his mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-RR-C2434C04
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. Army. One record, 2 gates. Omer 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.
Special Agent Davenport gave the Wabash Railway Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis 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

Department Wabash Railway Police Department

Type Police Department

Location St. Louis, MI

Platform Identity wrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 9, 1935

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Omer Earl Davenport served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Special Agent Omer Earl Davenport 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 59.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Wabash Railway Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Wabash Railway Police Department

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious