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Special Officer

Thomas J. Sullivan

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department — Topeka, KS
Felonious
United States flag Kansas flag
End of Watch April 5, 1915
Age 55
The Vigil Panel 29 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 31

Incident

Location: Texas Weapon: Officer's handgun Offender: Not available

Special Officer Thomas Sullivan was shot and killed while attempting to remove three men who were trespassing on railroad property in the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad yards in El Paso, Texas.

Officer Sullivan approached the men after observing them sitting under a freight car. He was attacked by the men when he told them they weren't allowed to be there. One of the men disarmed him and shot him several times with his service revolver.

Two police officers who were nearby heard the shots and located Officer Sullivan. They took him to a Hotel Dieu hospital where he died several hours later.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Officer Sullivan served with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Topeka community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Sullivan.

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

Agency

Department Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Topeka, Shawnee County, KS
Platform Identity atsfrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 5, 1915
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1915, 152 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 26th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 55. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department has 32 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Special Officer Thomas J. Sullivan

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department · End of Watch April 5, 1915

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 30-E

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