Roll of Honor

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Officer

Dennis R. Lyons

Adrian Police Department — Adrian, MI

Felonious

End of Watch April 24, 1880

Age 36

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Officer Dennis Lyons was shot and killed while chasing a man who had just been involved in a fight at a local tavern. Officer Lyons showed up at the fight scene on West Maumee Street near College Avenue and one of the men fled. As Officer Lyons chased him and ordered him to stop the man produced a handgun and shot Officer Lyons in the head, killing him instantly. The suspect was eventually apprehended and sentenced to eight years for manslaughter.

Officer Lyons had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Adrian, Michigan.

Survivors

Officer Lyons had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-9D41B318
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

146 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Lyons gave the Adrian Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Adrian community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Adrian Police Department

Location Adrian, MI

Platform Identity apd.lenawee.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 24, 1880

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Sentenced to eight years

Officer Dennis R. Lyons 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Adrian Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Adrian Police Department

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Dennis R. Lyons's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Dennis R. Lyons Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to eight years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Dennis R. Lyons is highlighted in Apr.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Dennis R. Lyons was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Adrian Police Department are honored on badge.nw.