Prev Next
John Fitzgerald
Agency patch
Detective Sergeant

John Fitzgerald

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA
Felonious
United States flag California flag
End of Watch June 18, 1921
The Vigil Panel 41 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 239

Incident

Sergeant John Fitzgerald was shot and killed while leading a raid on a home that contained illegal liquor and narcotics. Sergeant Fitzgerald was shot in the stomach during the raid and died as a result. The suspect, who had been arrested by Sergeant Fitzgerald in 1916, had been paroled from San Quentin Prison three months earlier, and had also served time in Folsum Prison in 1911 and 1913. The suspect fled to Mexico where he was arrested in 1922 and returned to Los Angeles in February of 1923. He was convicted of Sergeant Fitzgerald's murder and sentenced to life in prison in June of 1923. In June of 1936 he was charged with another murder after evidence was discovered that he robbed and killed a pool hall operator minutes after he killed Sergeant Fitzgerald. He was found guilty of his murder and received another life sentence. In July of 1953 he was released from prison and deported to Mexico.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtmw5kydexryfz10ex9b6
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew John. 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Sergeant Fitzgerald served with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Fitzgerald.

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

Agency

Department Los Angeles Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 18, 1921
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.

  3. See the roll
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1921, 248 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, more than in any other year.

Every year on record · United States
II

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
III

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
IV

His people

Los Angeles Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
V

Where

Detective Sergeant John Fitzgerald

Los Angeles Police Department · End of Watch June 18, 1921

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 31-E

↑