George Gilbert Barton, Sr.

Independence Police Department — Independence, MO

Felonious

End of Watch January 26, 1922

The Vigil Panel 42 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Patrolman George Barton was walking his beat on the Public Square at about 3:30 a.m. when he noticed a suspicious individual. The man pulled out a Colt .45 and shot Patrolman Barton, who died two hours later at the Independence Sanitarium and Hospital. The chief of police found the shooter near Main Street and Lexington Avenue and was met with a barrage of bullets, but returned fire and killed the man.

Survivors

Patrolman Barton was survived by his wife and is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Jackson County, Missouri.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-C47296E4
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 Barton served with the Independence Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Independence community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Barton.

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

Agency

Department Independence Police Department

Location Independence, MO

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

Service Record

End of Watch January 26, 1922

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .45 caliber

Offender Killed by another officer

Patrolman George Gilbert Barton, Sr. 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 Independence Police Department, 6 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Independence Police Department

of 8 officers

75% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious