Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Daniel Sheehan was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest a man who was wanted for selling liquor without a license. He saw the wanted man come out of the Post Office at the intersection of Second Street and Main Street. Sergeant Sheehan had been told not to arrest the man alone because the man had previously threatened to kill him. After seeing him, Sergeant Sheehan summoned the city marshal and a sheriff's deputy to the intersection to formulate a plan after the man walked into a store at the intersection. When the officers attempted to arrest the man, the subject produced a pistol and shot Sergeant Sheehan. An angry mob of citizens captured the suspect and lynched him. Sergeant Sheehan had served with the Joplin Police Department for eight years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-45FD0643- 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
141 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sergeant Sheehan gave the Joplin Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Joplin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Daniel Sheehan 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 Joplin Police Department, 17 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 81% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Daniel Sheehan's cause is highlighted.
How Daniel Sheehan Compares
Offender Outcome
Lynched
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Daniel Sheehan is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Daniel Sheehan was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
20 officers from Joplin Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
