James Francis Knight

Union City Police Department — Union City, NJ

Felonious

End of Watch March 5, 1931

Age 38

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

The Vigil Panel 61 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Sergeant James Knight was shot and killed when he and another officer attempted to stop a wrong-way vehicle in the 400 block of 12th Street.

As Sergeant Knight stepped from his car, the occupants of the other vehicle opened fire, striking him in the head. The other officer returned fire. It was later determined that the occupants of the car had just been involved in a robbery of silk valued at $40,000.

Six men were later apprehended. All six were convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 30 years. On January 23, 1933, all six were awarded new trials and released on bail when the Errors Court ruled they were wrongly convicted. One was shot and killed by an unknown assailant on October 25, 1934.

Sergeant Knight was survived by his wife and two daughters.

Survivors

Sergeant Knight was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-0A165E89
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Knight gave the Union City Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Union City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Knight.

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

Agency

Department Union City Police Department

Location Union City, NJ

Platform Identity upd.hudson.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 5, 1931

Tour of Duty 12 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Unsolved

Sergeant James Francis Knight 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Union City Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Union City Police Department

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

NJ — Statewide

264

of 646 officers

40.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious