James C. Gaul

Fort Worth Police Dept. — Fort Worth, TX

Felonious

End of Watch January 10, 1979

Age 36

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Badge 891

The Vigil Panel 121 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 58

Incident

Officer James Gaul was shot and wounded in a shootout with a deranged man as he and another officer approached the front door of the house to answer a call reporting a man with a gun. Officer Gaul died five days later from his wounds. The suspect was later shot and killed by other officers. Officer Gaul had been with the Fort Worth Police Department for 13 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, and three children from a previous marriage.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-146138DC
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.
Officer Gaul gave the Fort Worth Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Worth community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Gaul.

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

Agency

Department Fort Worth Police Dept.

Location Fort Worth, TX

Platform Identity fwpd.tarrant.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 10, 1979

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 36

Badge Number 891

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed by officers

Officer James C. Gaul 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Fort Worth Police Dept., 33 of 59 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.9% of this agency's fallen.

Fort Worth Police Dept.

of 59 officers

55.9% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious