Francis B. Johnson
Agency patch
Patrolman

Francis B. Johnson

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA
Felonious
End of Watch March 17, 1969
Age 51
Tour of Duty 27 yrs
Badge 2794
The Vigil Panel 105 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Francis Johnson was shot and killed after responding to a disturbance at a local tavern. He had been nearby directing traffic at Kneeland and Tremont Streets when a citizen alerted him to the disturbance. As he entered the bar he was momentarily unable to see as it was extremely bright outside and extremely dark inside. He was unaware that a man inside was waving a gun and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness the suspect shot him. The suspect, 46, was apprehended and sentenced to life and has been denied parole on several occasions. On May 13, 2002, he died in prison. Patrolman Johnson had served with the Boston Police Department for 27 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

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

27 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Johnson gave the Boston Police Department 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Johnson.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Roxbury Crossing, Suffolk County, MA
Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 17, 1969
Tour of Duty 27 yrs
Age 51
Badge Number 2794
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Francis 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 1969, 124 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 40th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Francis was 51. 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. Francis had served 27 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

March holds 7.5% 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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Boston Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, Francis among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Francis B. Johnson

Boston Police Department · End of Watch March 17, 1969

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 35-W

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