Robert L. McAllister
Agency patch
Private

Robert L. McAllister

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch November 23, 1952
Age 25
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 88 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Private Robert McAllister was shot and killed by a prisoner he had just arrested for reckless and drunken driving. He was on his way to work in his personal car when he made the arrest. As he was driving the man to the Silver Spring police station, the man pulled out a gun and shot him near the intersection of Colesville Road and Ramsey Avenue. After the vehicle crashed, the suspect commandeered another car and returned to his car but was detained by citizens who witnessed the incident. When arrested, the 43-year-old suspect was found to be in possession of two handguns. The suspect died in his jail cell of natural causes on February 23, 1953, while waiting for his murder trial to begin. Private McAllister had been with the Montgomery County Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MD-F30279E4
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 31, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Private McAllister gave the Montgomery County Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gaithersburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private McAllister.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, MD
Platform Identity mcpd.montgomery.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 23, 1952
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun
Laid to Rest Arlington National Cemetery

Military Service

Robert L. McAllister served in the U.S. Army (1946–1947) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Private Robert L. McAllister 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 MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 51.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Montgomery County Police Department, 8 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 38.1% of this agency's fallen.

Montgomery County Police Department
8
of 21 officers
38.1% Felonious
MD — Statewide
195
of 377 officers
51.7% 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. Robert L. McAllister's cause is highlighted.

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

How Robert L. McAllister Compares

Age at Death
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert L. McAllister is highlighted in Nov.

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. Robert L. McAllister 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

Robert L. McAllister served in the U.S. Army (1946–1947) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Robert L. McAllister’s page on salute.nw →

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

Laid to Rest

Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery
Section 31

Directions to Arlington National Cemetery →