John William Milton
Agency patch
Detective Sergeant

John William Milton

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA
Felonious
End of Watch May 16, 1949
Age 51
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Badge 1364
The Vigil Panel 85 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Sergeant Tommy Milton was shot and killed after responding to a home on Vesper Avenue after neighbors had called police to report the homeowner was armed and threatening his family. The man had previously threatened to kill his family. After arriving on scene Sergeant Milton and another detective attempted to talk to the man, who was armed with a revolver. As Sergeant Milton attempted to disarm the man the two began to struggle and the man was able to shoot him. Despite being mortally wounded, Sergeant Milton returned fire and killed the subject. Sergeant Milton died while while en route to the Van Nuys Receiving Hospital. Sergeant Milton had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 21 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two children, sister, and four brothers.

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

21 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Sergeant Milton gave the Los Angeles Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Milton.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch May 16, 1949
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 51
Badge Number 1364
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

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 1949, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John 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. John had served 21 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%. 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Sergeant John William Milton

Los Angeles Police Department · End of Watch May 16, 1949

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 40-E

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