Roll of Honor
Leslie D. Johnson
Incident
Location: Kentucky Incident Date: Thursday, March 25, 1915 Weapon: Handgun; .32 caliber Offender: Never identified
Railroad Detective Leslie Johnson succumbed to a gunshot sustained two days earlier in the railroad yards at Silver Grove, Kentucky, when he interrupted at least one subject breaking into a boxcar.
A train conductor who was inspecting his train located Detective Johnson in a ditch suffering from a gunshot wound to his forehead. A large box of rice that had been removed from a railroad car was found nearby and it was evident that Detective Johnson had been dragged across two railroad tracks and placed in the ditch.
Detective Johnson was transported to a local hospital where he regained consciousness briefly, but was unable to provide any details of the shooting. He died in the hospital on March 27th, 1915.
Several subjects were arrested for trespassing in the railroad yards shortly after he was shot and provided information about a possible suspect, however, it is not known if anyone was ever arrested. Investigators at the time believed that his murder was committed by the same subjects who murdered Railroad Detective Cleveland Kemp in the same railroad yards on June 7th, 1914.
Detective Johnson was survived by his wife.
Survivors
Detective Johnson was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-1E1565FE- 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.
Railroad Detective Johnson served with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Railroad Detective Johnson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Railroad Detective Leslie D. Johnson 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Police Department, 10 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Leslie D. Johnson's cause is highlighted.
How Leslie D. Johnson Compares
Offender Outcome
Never identified
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Leslie D. Johnson is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Leslie D. Johnson was killed by handgun; .32 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
