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Private

John Francis Dargus

Pennsylvania State Police — Harrisburg, PA
Felonious
United States flag Pennsylvania flag
End of Watch May 31, 1918
Age 21
Tour of Duty 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 34 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 86

Incident

Private John Dargus was shot and killed by a suspect wanted for murder in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Private Dargus and other officers pursued the suspect across the state line to a home on Chestnut Street in Struthers, Ohio. Private Dargus was given permission to enter the home by the home owner. As he ascended the stairs to the second floor where the suspect was hiding, he was shot twice by the suspect and killed instantly. The suspect was captured in Birmingham, Alabama, on July 27th, 1918, and returned to Ohio one week later. He was convicted of Private Dargus' murder and sentenced to death at the Ohio Penitentiary December 10th, 1918. His sentence was later commuted to life. He applied for a parole on February 21, 1940. The result is unknown, but it was understood if he did get paroled he was to be returned to Pennsylvania to stand trial for the murder he committed there. Private Dargus had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for eight months and was assigned to Troop A, Greensburg.

Survivors

He was survived by his father.

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.
Private Dargus served with the Pennsylvania State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Private Dargus.

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

Agency

Department Pennsylvania State Police
Type State Police
Location Harrisburg, Dauphin County, PA
Platform Identity pasp.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 31, 1918
Tour of Duty 8 mo
Age 21
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1918, 165 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 19th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 21. 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. John 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

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Pennsylvania State Police has 87 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Private John Francis Dargus

Pennsylvania State Police · End of Watch May 31, 1918

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-W

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