Stephen O. Flanagan

Kansas City Police Department — Kansas City, MO

Felonious

End of Watch May 16, 1903

Age 39

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 18 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 119

Incident

Patrolman Stephen Flanagan was shot and killed by a known robber and swindler who had been in the neighborhood of West 14th for several days, and had been annoying the women and children in the area. The suspect had been staying with a family a 502 West 14th Street, but was asked to leave. The suspect refused the leave. Patrolman Flanagan was investigating the complaints when he noticed the suspect standing in front of 502 West 14th Street. The suspect went inside the building, and Patrolman Flanagan followed him. As Patrolman Flanagan entered, with the intention of placing Spencer under arrest, he was shot. The two men then fired at each other, until both were fatally wounded. Patrolman Flanagan had served with the Kansas City Police Department for three years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-0BF87AD6
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.
Patrolman Flanagan gave the Kansas City Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Kansas City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Flanagan.

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

Agency

Department Kansas City Police Department

Location Kansas City, MO

Platform Identity kcpd.jackson.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 16, 1903

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed by Ptl. Flanagan

Patrolman Stephen O. Flanagan 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 Kansas City Police Department, 72 of 120 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Kansas City Police Department

of 120 officers

60% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious