John J. Lanahan

Baltimore Police Dept. — Baltimore, MD

Felonious

End of Watch July 3, 1919

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

The Vigil Panel 37 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 150

Incident

Police Officer John Lanahan was shot and killed by a prisoner he was searching at the Central Station Jail, which was located at East Saratoga Street & St. Paul Street. The prisoner had been arrested for larceny and taken by officers to the Central Station. Officer Lanahan, a jail officer, was searching the prisoner when the man drew a gun and fatally shot him. The man was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled in 1936 but returned to prison a few weeks later for violating his parole in Pennsylvania when he was arrested for disorderly conduct. On October 26th, 1943, he escaped from the Maryland Penitentiary. On May 21st, 1944, he was recaptured in Martinsburg, West Virginia. He died in prison on October 14th, 1952. Officer Lanahan had served with the Baltimore City Police Department for 18 years.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-50FB3D23
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Lanahan gave the Baltimore City Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Lanahan.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Baltimore Police Dept.

Location Baltimore, MD

Platform Identity baltpd.baltimore.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 3, 1919

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Died in prison

Police Officer John J. Lanahan 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 MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Baltimore Police Dept., 80 of 151 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this agency's fallen.

Baltimore Police Dept.

of 151 officers

53% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious