Shawn Leinen

Denver Police Department — Denver, CO

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 25, 1995

Age 28

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 141 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 73

Incident

Officer Shawn Leinen was shot and killed while in a foot chase of a juvenile subject whom he had observed breaking into a car. Officer Leinen was in the process of taking a shots fired call when he made the observation. He chased the youth into a dead end when the boy turned and fired, striking him in the chest. The rounds were stopped by his vest but knocked him down and stunned him. The youth then stood over Officer Leinen and shot him in the head. Witnesses heard Officer Leinen shout at the youth "Don't do it man!" before being shot. On September 1st, 1995, the suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. Officer Leinen was a veteran of the Wyoming Air National Guard and served with the Denver Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CO-37044241
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, salute.nw. One record, 3 gates. Shawn 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.
Officer Leinen gave the Denver Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Denver 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 Denver Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Denver, Denver County, CO

Platform Identity dpd.denver.co.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 25, 1995

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Shawn Leinen served in the U.S. Army (1990â1990) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Shawn Leinen 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 CO, 235 of 360 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.3% of this state's fallen. That is 65.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Denver Police Department, 55 of 74 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 74.3% of this agency's fallen.

Denver Police Department

of 74 officers

74.3% Felonious

CO — Statewide

235

of 360 officers

65.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious