Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Cornelius Barrett was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a man who had taken control of a train. The suspect, who boarded the train in Kansas City, was drunk and went among passengers asking them to drink with him. When they refused he became a raving maniac, produced a pistol, and ran everyone from the car he was in. Under the idea that he was being pursued by lynchers, he shot at everyone whom he saw, seriously wounding a passenger agent. The engineer was able to get a message off of the train telling of the problem. As soon as the train reached the Polk Street Depot several officers rushed the car that the subject was in. The man jumped from the car, shot and killed Officer Barrett, and ran up 4th Street. The suspect was shot three times in the back and was critically wounded. After the subject jumped from the train a plainclothes officer was critically wounded when a citizen mistook him for the suspect and hit him in the head with a brickbat. He eventually recovered from his injury. The subject recovered from his wounds, was declared insane, and sent to the asylum in Elgin, Michigan, on July 9th, 1885. Patrolman Barrett served with the Chicago Police Department for less than three years.
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
141 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Barrett gave the Chicago Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Cornelius Barrett 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.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Cornelius Barrett's cause is highlighted.
How Cornelius Barrett Compares
Offender Outcome
Committed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Cornelius Barrett is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Cornelius Barrett was killed by handgun; .44 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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