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Patrolman

Francis V. Quinn

Lynn Police Department — Lynn, MA

Felonious

End of Watch February 16, 1933

Age 38

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 65 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 10

Incident

Patrolman Frank Quinn was shot and killed while attempting to question three suspicious suspects. Patrolman Quinn was on a walking beat that included the intersection of Western Avenue and Washington Street. He was standing in the doorway of a pharmacy at this intersection when he observed three suspicious men walking up Washington Street towards him. As the men reached the intersection, he told them he wanted to talk to them. He crossed the street to talk to them, and before he said a word, they grabbed him, pinning him against a building. He quickly broke free and then saw one of the men draw a revolver. As he went for his own gun, he said, "Don't shoot me! Please think of my family." The gunman then shot him. The patrolman slumped into the gutter after being shot in the head. The other two men fled as soon as the first shot was fired. All three suspects, 23, 28, and 33, were captured, convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment. All three had parole hearings in 1948. Patrolman Quinn had served with the Lynn Police Department for over two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Patrolman Quinn gave the Lynn Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Lynn community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Quinn.

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

Agency

Department Lynn Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Lynn, Essex County, MA

Platform Identity lynnpd.essex.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 16, 1933

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 3 mo

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Francis 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1933, 184 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 15th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Francis 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. Francis had served 2.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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