Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer James Shields was killed in an automobile accident while attempting to locate a robbery suspect at 8:14 pm.
Officers were informed that the suspect had gotten onto a bus, and Officer Shields and his partner were attempting to catch up to the bus. They were responding with lights and sirens upon entering the intersection at Delaware and Bryant when another vehicle turned in front of them. Officer Shields swerved to avoid the car but struck a tree on Delaware Avenue near Bryant Street. He suffered severe injuries and was transported to a local hospital where he died. His partner was also injured in the crash.
Officers later determined that the store clerks and two others staged the $600 robbery and split the money. They were all arrested.
In December 2004, one suspect was shot and killed by officers from the Niagara Falls Police Department after he opened fire on them with a shotgun.
Officer Shields had served with the Buffalo Police Department for seven years and was assigned to D-District.
Survivors
He is survived by his two sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-8CE3B6B5- 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.
Police Officer Shields gave the Buffalo Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Shields.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer James A. Shields is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Buffalo Police Department, 26 of 51 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 51% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James A. Shields's cause is highlighted.
How James A. Shields Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James A. Shields is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
50 officers from Buffalo Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
