James Michael O'Connor

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch September 16, 1995

Age 27

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Badge 4573

The Vigil Panel 142 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 570

Incident

Officer James M. O'Connor was shot and killed during a traffic stop on North Marine Drive near Irving Park Road. He was off duty when he observed two men snatch a woman's purse and flee the area in a vehicle. Officer O'Connor pursued the vehicle and asked citizens to call the police. When the vehicle stopped, the driver exited and fired on Officer O'Connor. During an exchange of gunfire, both Officer O'Connor and the assailant were fatally wounded. Officer James O'Connor was a U.S Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Chicago Police Department for 16 months.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-31413C9B
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 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.
Police Officer O'Connor gave the Chicago Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago 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 Chicago Police Department

Location Chicago, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 16, 1995

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Age 27

Badge Number 4573

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Military Service

James Michael O'Connor served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer James Michael O'Connor 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

396

of 571 officers

69.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious