John W. Quirk

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch January 13, 1958

Age 23

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Badge 9866

The Vigil Panel 93 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 570

Incident

Patrolman John W. Quirk was shot three times by two gunmen at the intersection of N. Cleveland Avenue and W. Wisconsin Streets. Patrolman Quirk was off duty on his first date with a young woman. One of their first stops that evening included a tour of the Shakespeare Avenue Station, 2131 N. California, where he was assigned. Their second stop was a restaurant at 3801 W. Fullerton, where they had a chance meeting with his partner, and they visited for some time. He was driving an acquaintance home and pulled in front of 22 East Banks Street at approximately 2:30 am. The moment the vehicle came to a stop, two men jumped into the back of the car from each side with guns drawn. Patrolman Quirk was forced to drive in the area of the north side. While approaching the intersection of W. Wisconsin Avenue and N. Cleveland Avenue, he intentionally crashed his vehicle into a street lamp. While drawing his service revolver, he fired into the rear of the vehicle, hitting one suspect in the hand. Patrolman Quirk used his body to shield his companion from the bullets as the shooting started. He was mortally wounded in the exchange. The young woman was able to identify the assailants. After a city-wide manhunt, one gunman was immediately arrested. The second surrendered to the FBI and was turned over to the Chicago Police Department homicide division. Both suspects, each 23, were convicted of murder and sentenced to life. Both received additional life terms for several armed robberies they committed together. During each robbery, they severely pistol-whipped their victims. During a liquor store robbery, a third robber held a gun to the owner's head, and he was forced to watch as two men bit his tiny wife and pistol-whipped her almost to death. She had to have psychiatric care for the remainder of her life. On May 1, 1969, one was paroled under a protective coat of secrecy. Those who met with unknown parole board officials were his father, president of the Vendors Employee Union, a

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-95502378
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.
Patrolman Quirk 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 January 13, 1958

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Age 23

Badge Number 9866

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender One paroled in 1969

Military Service

John W. Quirk served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman John W. Quirk 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