Federal Prohibition Agent

Franklin R. Patterson

Felonious
End of Watch January 18, 1930
Gender Male

Incident

Prohibition Agent Frankin Patterson and Prohibition Agent Robert Moncure were shot and killed while serving a search warrant at the home of a bootlegger at 2403 S Poinsettia Avenue in West Palm Beach, Florida. The suspect opened fire on Agent Patterson in the kitchen and shot Agent Moncure on the front porch. Two other agents at the scene escaped without being wounded. The suspect was arrested 20 minutes later after a brief standoff with local police. The man was acquitted due to a technicality concerning the use of a daytime warrant around the time of sunset. The suspect also said he did not know a raid was taking place and was defending his home, although there had been three recent raids resulting in several cases of liquor being confiscated. Charges that resulted in the three raids were dropped. In 1934 the case was reopened and the suspect was convicted of assault on a federal officer and sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. He died in 1958.

Survivors

Agent Patterson was survived by his wife and four children.

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.
Federal Prohibition Agent Patterson served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Federal Prohibition Agent Patterson.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdtirsbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 18, 1930
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Franklin is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 1930, 239 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 2nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
III

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
IV

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition has 37 officers remembered here, Franklin among them.

V

Where

Federal Prohibition Agent Franklin R. Patterson

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Bureau of Prohibition · End of Watch January 18, 1930

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 27-E

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