Francis X. "Buck" Roy

Lower Merion Township Police Department — Ardmore, PA

Felonious

End of Watch September 14, 1924

Age 26

The Vigil Panel 47 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Officer Buck Roy succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained two months earlier when he and another officer responded to a rally on the Haverford College campus in which 200 KKK members were burning a cross. The officers arrived as the rally ended and attempted to question two men who were leaving the scene. When they asked the man to stop one of them opened fire, striking Officer Roy in the leg and hip and the other officer in the chin. For the next two months, Officer Roy drifted in and out of consciousness and had to have his leg amputated. He died on September 14, 1924, as a result of the wounds he sustained. Five men were tried and acquitted for his murder. Six months later, a janitor at the college admitted to being the shooter and was convicted of manslaughter and was sentenced to 3 to 6 years in prison.

Survivors

Officer Roy was survived by his mother and father.

In Our Keeping

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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 Roy served with the Lower Merion Township Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Ardmore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Roy.

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

Agency

Department Lower Merion Township Police Department

Location Ardmore, PA

Platform Identity lmtpd.montgomery.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 14, 1924

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to 6 years

Police Officer Francis X. "Buck" Roy 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%.

At Lower Merion Township Police Department, 2 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Lower Merion Township Police Department

of 4 officers

50% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious