Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman John J. Mullen, of the 29th Precinct, was fatally shot at 12:57 a.m. on January 3rd, dying at 3:50 a.m., the next day at the Lincoln Gardens, Wells Street and Lincoln Avenue, by a man he tried to arrest. Officer Mullen responded to a disturbance of an intoxicated man in a cafe. Officer Mullen placed one offender under arrest for threatening a patron with a gun. The second offender approached Officer Mullen from behind and shot him. All assailants were indicted by the Grand Jury. On March 26, 1921, two were acquitted by the judge. On March 26, 1921, the shooter was sentenced to life imprisonment at Joliet Penitentiary. The shooters conviction was based on evidence provided by another man. The killer's friends vowed they would get him. On March 19, 1923, his mutilated body, with hands cut off, was found buried in the snow near Geneva.
Survivors
Patrolman Mullen, a WWI Army veteran, was survived by a wife and child and is buried at Mount Carmel Cemetery.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-C4FF21B8- 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 Mullen gave the Chicago Police Department 3 years.
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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
John J. Mullen served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman John J. Mullen 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. John J. Mullen's cause is highlighted.
How John J. Mullen Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life at Joliet Penitentiary
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John J. Mullen is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. John J. Mullen was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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