Ronald Hearn
Agency patch
Police Officer

Ronald Hearn

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch July 25, 1988
Age 49
Badge 4268
The Vigil Panel 133 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Ronald Hearn was shot and killed while working the metal detector at the Bronx VA Hospital in New York City, New York. As a man walked through the metal detector the alarm was set off. As Officer Hearn approached the subject the man pulled out a gun and shot Agent Hearn. Although he was wearing a vest the shot entered his side between the two panels. At the time of the shooting Veterans Affairs Police officers were unarmed and were not supplied vests. Agent Hearn's brother-in-law, New York City Police Officer Charles Davis, was shot and killed in the line of duty in 1996.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-FA766F9E
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.
Police Officer Hearn served with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Hearn.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdvapspd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 25, 1988
Age 49
Badge Number 4268
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Ronald Hearn served in the U.S. Air Force (1961–1963) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Ronald Hearn 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 DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services, 5 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 45.5% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police Services
5
of 11 officers
45.5% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,418 officers
53.2% 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. Ronald Hearn's cause is highlighted.

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

How Ronald Hearn Compares

Age at Death
49
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ronald Hearn 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. Ronald Hearn 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

Military Service

Ronald Hearn served in the U.S. Air Force (1961–1963) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Ronald Hearn’s page on salute.nw →

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