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Constable

Lester George Lanning

Pennsylvania State Constable - Mercer County — Mercer, PA

Felonious

End of Watch December 28, 1940

Age 68

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 77 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Constable Lester Lanning and the justice of the peace were killed when they were struck in the back of the head with an axe while searching for a mentally disturbed man. The man then shot and killed himself. The man attacked them in the cellar of a house on the Greenville-Jamestown Road. Constable Lanning had served with the Pennsylvania State Constable - Mercer County eight ears. He was survived by his wife and child. Hehad just been elected to his third term as Constable for Greenville.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-088EE067
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.
Constable Lanning gave the Pennsylvania State Constable 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Mercer community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Lanning.

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

Agency

Department Pennsylvania State Constable - Mercer County

Location Mercer, PA

Platform Identity pscmcco.mercer.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 28, 1940

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 68

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Axe

Offender Committed suicide

Constable Lester George Lanning 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

Pennsylvania State Constable - Mercer County

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% 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. Lester George Lanning'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 Lester George Lanning Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Committed suicide

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lester George Lanning is highlighted in Dec.

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. Lester George Lanning was killed by edged weapon; axe.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518