Chester Lewis Grounds

Amarillo Police Dept. — Amarillo, TX

Felonious

End of Watch February 14, 1934

Age 24

The Vigil Panel 67 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 15

Incident

Officer Chester Grounds was shot and killed after responding to a family fight at 1413 East 4th Street. When officers arrived, they were unable to locate the suspect. All the officers then went to the suspect's mother's house. When he was still not located, Officer Grounds and another officer returned to 1413 East 4th Street to search continue the search. The suspect had concealed himself in the dark by a fence in the backyard. When Officer Grounds entered the backyard, the suspect fired, hitting the officer in the chest. Officer Grounds was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The suspect ran from the scene. A search of the area was immediately started. The suspect was located at a gas station pumping gas in his car. As officers approached, he pulled a gun and pointed it at the officers. The officers fired at the suspect, killing him.

Survivors

Officer Grounds was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-5A8FFC89
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 Grounds served with the Amarillo Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Amarillo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Grounds.

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

Agency

Department Amarillo Police Dept.

Location Amarillo, TX

Platform Identity apd.potter.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 14, 1934

Age 24

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Officer Chester Lewis Grounds 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 Amarillo Police Dept., 10 of 16 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.

Amarillo Police Dept.

of 16 officers

62.5% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious