Richard W. O. Gammill
Agency patch
Lieutenant

Richard W. O. Gammill

Joplin Police Department — Joplin, MO
Felonious
End of Watch September 7, 1989
The Vigil Panel 135 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Lieutenant Richard Gammill succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained nine years earlier while investigating the shooting of a citizen at 3500 Rangeline Road. He had responded with other officers to a local hotel to check on a man who had reported being shot while driving on the interstate. When the first two officers arrived the man refused to cooperate. When Lieutenant Gammill arrived the man pulled out a handgun and shot the three officers before being shot and killed by return gunfire. Lieutenant Gammill served as a sergeant at the time of the shooting.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-C3F0C601
Stewardship
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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.
Lieutenant Gammill served with the Joplin Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Joplin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Gammill.

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

Agency

Location Joplin, MO
Platform Identity jpd.jasper.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 7, 1989
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber
Offender Shot and killed

Lieutenant Richard W. O. Gammill 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.

Joplin Police Department
17
of 21 officers
81% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% 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. Richard W. O. Gammill'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 Richard W. O. Gammill Compares

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard W. O. Gammill is highlighted in Sep.

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. Richard W. O. Gammill was killed by handgun; .38 caliber.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location