Frank Burns

El Paso Police Dept. — El Paso, TX

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch April 12, 1923

Age 28

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 45 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 33

Incident

Detective Frank Burns, working with Federal Narcotics Agents, was shot in the back and killed by a drug smuggler lying in wait as he attempted to arrest another drug smuggler at a soft drink stand on South El Paso Street. He was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries two days later. His assailants fled to Mexico and were never apprehended. Detective Burns was a United States Army veteran and had served with the El Paso Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-66654778
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Frank. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

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.
Detective Burns gave the El Paso Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the El Paso community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department El Paso Police Dept.

Location El Paso, TX

Platform Identity eppd.elpaso.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 12, 1923

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 4 mo

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Never apprehended

Military Service

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

Detective Frank Burns 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 El Paso Police Dept., 23 of 34 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 67.6% of this agency's fallen.

El Paso Police Dept.

of 34 officers

67.6% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious