John Stack

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police — Pittsburgh, PA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch April 24, 1872

Age 25

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 4 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 100

Incident

Patrolman John Stack succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day when he was brutally attacked from behind while on duty on Smithfield Street near Fourth Avenue.

Approximately 10 minutes before the incident Patrolman Stack had cleared from the scene of a fire with another officer and entered a restaurant to eat. As he left the restaurant to go back on his beat, he was attacked by at least three men and sustained several blows to the back of his head, resulting in a fractured skull. He was discovered in the middle of the street shortly after the incident by other officers and taken to his home in the 100 block of Third Avenue. Due to the nature of the injuries, he was taken to the Western Pennsylvania Hospital where he died the following day.

The owner of the restaurant and two other subjects were arrested and charged with his murder. On June 14th, 1872, charges were dropped against all three after a jury trial. Shortly before the trial a material witness mysteriously left town but returned to town the same day charges were dropped in court. The witness was arrested and detained as a defaulting witness and gave a statement to the court that he had left town with family for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York City, New York. He claimed he was given no indication about when the trial was taking place and did not feel he was an important witness.

Patrolman Stack was a Union Army veteran of the Civil War and had served with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for three years. After the Civil War, he sculpted the statue of the Infantry of the United States that is displayed at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Allegheny County.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-FD8A3256
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 Stack gave the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police 3 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Pittsburgh Bureau of Police

Location Pittsburgh, PA

Platform Identity pittpd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 24, 1872

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Blunt object

Offender Acquitted

Military Service

John Stack served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman John Stack 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 Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, 45 of 101 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 44.6% of this agency's fallen.

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police

of 101 officers

44.6% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious