Officer

Americus N. Crippin

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Felonious
End of Watch November 5, 1889
Age 26
Tour of Duty 9 mo
Badge 145
The Vigil Panel 10 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Americus Crippin was shot and killed after responding to the scene of gunfire which he heard while on patrol on 11th Street. When he arrived on the scene he became involved in a foot pursuit of the shooting suspect. He chased the man into a nearby saloon, at the corner of 12th Street and Q Street NW, and up a flight of stairs. At the top of the stairs the man turned and shot Officer Crippin in the chest. Although mortally wounded, Officer Crippin was able to return fire and kill the suspect. Officer Crippin had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for nine months. He was survived by his wife and two stepdaughters. He is buried in Dranesville United Methodist Church Cemetery in Fairfax County, Virginia.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two stepdaughters.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

137 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Crippin served with the Metropolitan Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 5, 1889
Tour of Duty 9 mo
Age 26
Badge Number 145
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1889, 46 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 142nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Americus was 26. 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. Americus had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Americus among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Americus N. Crippin

Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch November 5, 1889

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 22-W

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