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Patrolman

James E. Shoemaker

Montgomery County Police Department — Gaithersburg, MD

Cardiac

End of Watch February 4, 1938

Age 49

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 74 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 20

Incident

Patrolman James Shoemaker suffered a fatal heart attack when he was kicked during a struggle with a woman at a dance hall on Conduit Road in Glen Echo. He had attempted to eject the woman from a beer hall when she became combative. The woman was charged with manslaughter. Patrolman Shoemaker had served with the Montgomery County Police Department for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three sons.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Patrolman Shoemaker gave the Montgomery County Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gaithersburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Shoemaker.

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

Agency

Department Montgomery County Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Gaithersburg, Montgomery County, MD

Platform Identity mcpd.montgomery.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 4, 1938

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 49

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

James is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% 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 1938, 8 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 72nd heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States

Who

James was 49. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. James had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

February holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Fridays: 15.8%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 16.1% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded