John Thomas McCarthy
Agency patch
Officer

John Thomas McCarthy

Dallas Police Department — Dallas, TX
Felonious
End of Watch February 25, 1981
Age 24
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Badge 4162
The Vigil Panel 124 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer John McCarthy was shot and killed after he and his partner observed a car parked by White Rock Lake in the 600 block of East Lawther Drive. They observed two partially clothed people and told them to leave. As Officer McCarthy was returning to his vehicle, the man stepped out of his vehicle and shot him in the head. The man ran into the lake and then was arrested when he came back out. The suspect was convicted and executed. Officer McCarthy had served with the Dallas Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer McCarthy gave the Dallas Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Dallas community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer McCarthy.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Dallas, Collin County, TX
Platform Identity dpd.dallas.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 25, 1981
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 24
Badge Number 4162
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.

34,117 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 1981, 126 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 39th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 24. 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 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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

Dallas Police Department has 95 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer John Thomas McCarthy

Dallas Police Department · End of Watch February 25, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 50-W

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