Robert L. McAllister

Montgomery County Police Department — Gaithersburg, MD

Felonious

End of Watch November 23, 1952

Age 25

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 88 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 20

Incident

Private Robert McAllister was shot and killed by a prisoner he had just arrested for reckless and drunken driving. He was on his way to work in his personal car when he made the arrest. As he was driving the man to the Silver Spring police station, the man pulled out a gun and shot him near the intersection of Colesville Road and Ramsey Avenue. After the vehicle crashed, the suspect commandeered another car and returned to his car but was detained by citizens who witnessed the incident. When arrested, the 43-year-old suspect was found to be in possession of two handguns. The suspect died in his jail cell of natural causes on February 23, 1953, while waiting for his murder trial to begin. Private McAllister had been with the Montgomery County Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-F30279E4
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.
Private McAllister gave the Montgomery County Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gaithersburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private McAllister.

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

Agency

Department Montgomery County Police Department

Location Gaithersburg, MD

Platform Identity mcpd.montgomery.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 23, 1952

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Died in jail

Private Robert L. McAllister 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 Montgomery County Police Department, 8 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 38.1% of this agency's fallen.

Montgomery County Police Department

of 21 officers

38.1% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious