Roll of Honor
Incident
Parole Officer David Burns succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained the previous day while transporting a prisoner from Texarkana, Texas, to the Kansas State Penitentiary. The prisoner had been able to conceal a .32 caliber handgun and shot Officer Burns four times as they passed through Alicia, Arkansas. Officer Burns was transported to a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, where he died the following day. The prisoner was captured and sent to Newport, Arkansas, where he was convicted of Officer Burn's murder and sentenced to life in February of 1925. On May 25, 1926, he was shot and killed by Arkansas Penitentiary guards when he ran from a cotton field where he was working with other inmates. Parole Officer Burns was a U.S. Army veteran of the Spanish-American War and had served with the Kansas Department of Corrections for 13 years. He was survived by his wife and six children. He is buried in Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth, Kansas.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and six children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KS-107081CF- 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.
Parole Officer Burns gave the Kansas Department of Corrections 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Kansas, 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
David W. Burns served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Parole Officer David W. Burns 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 KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 16.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Kansas Department of Corrections, 8 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David W. Burns's cause is highlighted.
How David W. Burns Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed during escape attempt
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. David W. Burns is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. David W. Burns was killed by handgun; .32 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Kansas Department of Corrections are honored on badge.nw.
