Thomas Joseph Sullivan

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department — St. Louis, MO

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch February 26, 1937

Age 45

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

The Vigil Panel 72 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 175

Incident

Detective Sergeant Thomas Sullivan was shot and killed while he and his partner investigated a rash of robberies in the area of Pine and Olive Streets. Although their shift had finished the two detectives continued their investigation and had gone to a local hotel at 3222 Olive Street to ask the clerk if he had seen anyone fitting the descriptions of the two suspects. The clerk took the detectives to a room where two such men were staying. The men in the room cracked the door open, slammed it, and then began shooting through it. The detectives returned fire and then kicked the door in. One of the suspects was killed and Detective Sergeant Sullivan was mortally wounded. The second suspect fled but was shot and killed by other officers as he attempted to escape in a stolen car. Detective Sergeant Sullivan had been shot five times and succumbed to the wounds the following day. The two suspects were escapees from Michigan and had committed approximately 15 robberies. Detective Sergeant Sullivan was a U.S. Army veteran and had been with the agency for 18 years. He was survived by his wife and three children. Two of his children followed in his footsteps and became St. Louis police officers.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-00C30084
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.
Detective Sergeant Sullivan gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis 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

Department St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

Location St. Louis, MO

Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 26, 1937

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Both shot and killed

Military Service

Thomas Joseph Sullivan served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Detective Sergeant Thomas Joseph Sullivan 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 112 of 176 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

112

of 176 officers

63.6% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious