Patrolman

John Pettaway

New Orleans Police Department — New Orleans, LA
Felonious
End of Watch October 10, 1893
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John Pettaway was shot and killed near the intersection of Chippewa Street and Washington Avenue by one of two notorious hoodlums he attempted to arrest for assaulting another man.

Both suspects were arrested in Boyce several days later and charged with murder. Both were acquitted because of a lack of evidence. One was shot and killed a year later.

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

133 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Pettaway served with the New Orleans Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the New Orleans community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA
Platform Identity nopd.orleans.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 10, 1893
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.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1893, 76 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 92nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
IV

His people

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

Across the years
V

Where

Patrolman John Pettaway

New Orleans Police Department · End of Watch October 10, 1893

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 47-W

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