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John A. Olson
Agency patch
Patrolman

John A. Olson

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
United States flag Illinois flag
End of Watch October 20, 1938
Age 45
The Vigil Panel 75 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 570

Incident

Patrolman John Olson was fatally shot in the back after being hit from behind by one of two subjects at 9:48 a.m. Patrolman Olson was on duty, in uniform, while escorting an insurance company cashier to a bank at Crawford and North Avenues. At the southwest corner of Harding Avenue and North Avenue, one of the subjects jostled between the officer and the cashier, put a gun to the cashier, and grabbed the money bag. The other subject struck the officer from behind with a length of lead-filled rubber hose. Patrolman Olson, stunned from the blow, staggered forward in pursuit of the thief who was running with the money bag. He was trying to draw his revolver when the second subject shot him in the back. The two subjects fled on foot, the one who fired the shot running north on Harding Avenue to the next corner and then ran east and escaped. The length of hose was found near the scene, and later the zipper jacket worn by one of the killers was found as well as the fatal weapon, an Iver Johnson Revolver. There were many witnesses to the crime who were able to identify the killer and also furnished a description of the man who ran with the money. At a coroner’s inquest on October 21st, 1938, the verdict of "murder by unknown men" was returned.

Survivors

Patrolman John Olson is survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Olson served with the Chicago Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Olson.

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

Agency

Department Chicago Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 20, 1938
Age 45
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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1938, 111 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 45th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 45. 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.

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%. Thursdays: 14%.

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

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman John A. Olson

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch October 20, 1938

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 4-E

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