Peter John "Sonny" Burke

Atlantic City Police Dept. — Atlantic City, NJ

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch October 1, 1970

Age 26

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 107 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 9

Incident

Patrolman Peter Burke was shot and killed after being flagged down by a business owner regarding two suspicious males at 11:45 pm near the intersection of Illinois Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. As he approached the men, one of them opened fire with a sawed-off shotgun, fatally wounding him. One suspect was immediately arrested and ultimately acquitted. The second suspect, a member of the Black Panther Party, fled to Cuba but returned to the United States and was arrested in Miami, Florida, on September 26, 1990. He was sentenced to life for Patrolman Burke's murder and four years for unlawful flight. His parole was denied on December 30, 2005. Patrolman Burke was one of the first officers to join the Canine Corps when it was established. He and his K9 Thor made the first canine arrest in the department's history. K9 Thor was in the patrol wagon when Patrolman Burke was shot. Patrolman Burke was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War and Vietnam War. He had served with the Atlantic City Police Department for 15 months.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, three brothers, and five sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-870ECA6D
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Burke gave the Atlantic City Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Atlantic City community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Atlantic City Police Dept.

Location Atlantic City, NJ

Platform Identity atlapd.atlantic.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 1, 1970

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 3 mo

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Peter John "Sonny" Burke served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman Peter John "Sonny" Burke 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 Atlantic City Police Dept., 5 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Atlantic City Police Dept.

of 10 officers

50% Felonious

NJ — Statewide

264

of 646 officers

40.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious