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Inspector

John W. Parrott

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service — Washington, DC
Felonious
United States flag District of Columbia flag
End of Watch January 7, 1927
Age 49
The Vigil Panel 119 · Column 4 · Line 11 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 93

Incident

Inspector John Parrott succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained on December 30th, 1926, when he was shot during a traffic stop in the Upper Valley area of El Paso County, Texas. He and his partner were patrolling the area looking for smugglers. They signaled a truck with three men to stop a short distance from the Rio Grande River and approached it with their flashlights to see what was in it. Inspector Parrott's partner opened a tool box on the side of the car but found no contraband. He saw a bag of bottles on the back seat and reached into the car to retrieve it. As he did so the subject opened fire from inside the vehicle and shot him in the shoulder. The wounded inspector pulled two pistols and fired three shots from one and four shots from the other. The driver was wounded and fled the scene with Inspector Parrott in pursuit. Inspector Parrott returned to the scene suffering a gunshot wound to stomach after having fired five rounds at the suspect. He staggered to the truck and handcuffed one of the men to the seat. A second subject was dead in the truck with a shot through the head. An El Paso County motorcycle officer arrived and had both officers taken to the hospital. Customs Service inspectors and Border Patrol agents pursued the outstanding subject to Bowen, New Mexico, where he was arrested. The man was convicted of the murder of Parrott and sentenced to life in prison. It is unknown as to the disposition of charges on the other subject. It was initially thought that Inspector Parrott's partner was the more seriously wounded, but Inspector Parrott had been sick with the flu and his immune system was in a weakened state. He died in the hospital around 5:00 p.m. on January 7th, 1927. He had only served with the United States Customs Service for a few weeks. He was survived by his wife and four children. He was buried in the Masonic Section of Concordia Cemetery in El Paso, Texas.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Inspector Parrott served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Parrott.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service
Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtuscsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 7, 1927
Age 49
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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1927, 220 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 6th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 49. 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

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Inspector John W. Parrott

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch January 7, 1927

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 28-E

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