Thomas J. McAuliffe
Agency patch
Patrolman

Thomas J. McAuliffe

Kansas City Police Department — Kansas City, MO
Felonious
End of Watch June 25, 1937
Age 52
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
The Vigil Panel 73 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Thomas McAuliffe was shot and killed by a pipeline worker who had been robbed. The suspect was unhappy that action was not being taken fast enough. Patrolman McAuliffe offered to take the man home who was drunk inside a saloon. The man grabbed his service revolver and shot him. The 30-year-old suspect was shot and critically wounded by another officer. He died in a Kansas City hospital three weeks later. Patrolman McAuliffe had served with the agency for five years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-A10EB59F
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.
Patrolman McAuliffe gave the Kansas City Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Kansas City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman McAuliffe.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Kansas City, MO
Platform Identity kcpd.jackson.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 25, 1937
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 52
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

Patrolman Thomas J. McAuliffe 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Kansas City Police Department, 72 of 120 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Kansas City Police Department
72
of 120 officers
60% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% 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. Thomas J. McAuliffe's cause is highlighted.

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

How Thomas J. McAuliffe Compares

Age at Death
52
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas J. McAuliffe is highlighted in Jun.

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. Thomas J. McAuliffe was killed by officer's handgun.

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