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Detective

Daniel J. Quinnan

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Felonious

End of Watch September 20, 1966

Age 38

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Badge 7899

The Vigil Panel 224 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 570

Incident

Detective Daniel J. Quinnan was shot and killed when he entered a downtown tavern at 646 South Wabash Avenue during an armed robbery. Shortly before he arrived to conduct a routine check an armed subject had lined several patrons against the wall and ordered the bartender to fill a paper bag with money from the register. Detective Quinnan walked in and began to talk with the bartender when the gunman appeared and shot him in the chest before he had an opportunity to draw his weapon. The gunman stepped over the fallen detective and fled the scene. He was arrested a few hours later at a hotel several blocks south of the tavern. Detective Quinnan was transported to Presbyterian St. Lukes Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The 29-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to 35 to 70 years. He escaped from prison in 1987 but was quickly captured. Detective Quinnan was assigned to the 1st District. He was a 13 year veteran of the department and is survived by his wife. He had been awarded 25 letters of commendation from the department. In 1956, he survived electrocution when a truck that was too high snagged and broke a trolly car wire that fell across his neck. Doctors said he survived because he was such a big man, 230 pounds with a very thick neck. It was the condition of his neck that saved his life.

Survivors

He was a 13 year veteran of the department and is survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: neuraspine_01krbxtn8pst3y69171d0d74z6
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Quinnan gave the Chicago Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Quinnan.

— 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 September 20, 1966

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 38

Badge Number 7899

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Daniel 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1966, 77 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 91st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Daniel was 38. 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. Daniel had served 13 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month

By day of the week

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