Peter F. McGuigan
Agency patch
Lieutenant

Peter F. McGuigan

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch October 23, 1920
Age 46
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Lieutenant McGuigan was shot and killed and his partner was seriously wounded while questioning a suspicious man near Grand River Avenue and Lothrop Street just after 8 p.m. The lieutenant and his partner were on their way to work when several neighbor boys approached them and told them a suspicious man was near the rear of their house at 2915 Lothrop Street. The man produced a gun as the officers spoke with him and fired two shots. Lieutenant McGuigan chased the man several blocks after being shot in the chest but ultimately fell. He was taken to Providence Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The suspect was arrested a short time later, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. Lieutenant McGuigan had served with the Detroit Police Department for 15 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Lieutenant McGuigan gave the Detroit Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant McGuigan.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 23, 1920
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 46
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Peter 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 1920, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Peter was 46. 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. Peter had served 15 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Peter among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Lieutenant Peter F. McGuigan

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch October 23, 1920

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 32-E

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