Roll of Honor
Incident
Although unarmed and wearing civilian clothing, Constable Hallawell was on duty organising a cross-community disco in his role as a community relations officer when, as he left the home of a youth worker, got into his own car and switched on the ignition, three or four terrorists approached the car and fired between ten and fifteen shots through the windscreen at point blank range. As the car pulled away John was hit by four bullets and fatally wounded.
The terrorists escaped in a hijacked car and were never brought to justice.
John joined the RUC in 1971 and was married to Anne with whom he had three children who were aged 13, 11 and 10 at the time of the incident.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-GB-RUC-19B22258- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 8, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Constable Hallawell served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Hallawell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable John Robert Nelson Hallawell is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NIR, 422 of 599 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.5% of this state's fallen. That is 16.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Royal Ulster Constabulary GC, 351 of 469 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 74.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Robert Nelson Hallawell's cause is highlighted.
How John Robert Nelson Hallawell Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Robert Nelson Hallawell is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
468 officers from Royal Ulster Constabulary GC are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
