Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Daniel Law and Illinois State Trooper Grady Sutton were shot and killed while escorting three suspects in a stolen car to jail. The officers had stopped the vehicle at Poplar and Vine streets and directed the driver to the Harrisburg City Hall for questioning while Trooper Sutton stood on the left running board and Chief Law on the right running board of the vehicle. As the vehicle approached city hall, the driver stepped on the accelerator and the men drew weapons, opening fire on the officers. Trooper Sutton was struck in the chest and fell to the street near city hall. Before being shot in the head and body, Chief Law was able to cling to the vehicle for four blocks, exchanging gunfire with the suspects and killing one of them until finally dropping from the vehicle. Trooper Sutton died from his wounds following surgery shortly after midnight. The suspect killed by Chief Law was found in the abandoned vehicle 10 miles north of Harrisburg. The other two fugitives, 25 and 30, were later captured; the oldest in Beckley, West Virginia, on September 8, 1932, and the other in Sheridan, Wyoming, on January 8, 1933. They were extradited to Illinois for trial where they both were convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to death. Both were later awarded new trials and received life sentences. The youngest suspect was paroled on April 29, 1946. On April 20, 1949, he and another man robbed a bar in Detroit. After a wild chase with Detroit Police both were arrested. During the arrest Chief Law's and Trooper Sutton's killer was shot twice in his foot. He was charged with armed robbery as well as other serious charges. The next day he was charged for an armed robbery in Greenville. The other suspect convicted with him was denied parole in 1945. Chief Law had served with the Harrisburg Police Department for four years. Chief Law and Trooper Sutton were buried in adjoining plots in Sunset Lawn Cemetery in Harrisburg.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-61F61C5D- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Daniel. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief of Police Law gave the Harrisburg Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Harrisburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Law.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Daniel Law is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,587 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 10 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Daniel Law's cause is highlighted.
How Daniel Law Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Daniel Law is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Daniel Law was killed by gun.