James W. Thornton

St. Petersburg Police Department — St. Petersburg, FL

Felonious

End of Watch October 16, 1937

Tour of Duty

The Vigil Panel 73 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 15

Incident

Officer Thornton and Officer William Newberry were shot and killed in Campbell Park by a drunk man whom they had ordered to leave a carnival earlier in the evening. The man returned to the park and shot both officers. Officer Thornton was killed at the scene and Officer Newberry died the following day. The suspect was shot and killed a short time later by another officer. Officer Thornton was killed on his first day as a police officer.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-CCAA60D4
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 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.
Officer Thornton served with the St. Petersburg Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the St. Petersburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Thornton.

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

Agency

Department St. Petersburg Police Department

Location St. Petersburg, FL

Platform Identity sppd.pinellas.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 16, 1937

Tour of Duty

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Officer James W. Thornton 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At St. Petersburg Police Department, 12 of 16 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

St. Petersburg Police Department

of 16 officers

75% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious