John Richard Crain
Agency patch
Officer

John Richard Crain

Dallas Police Department — Dallas, TX
Felonious
End of Watch May 24, 1923
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident

Officer John Crain was shot and killed at approximately 3:30 am while investigating suspicious activity.

While on patrol he noticed lights on in a pharmacy on Junius Road. As Officer Crain peered into the window a burglar inside shot him in the head with a .38 caliber handgun. Both subjects inside the store were also responsible for the murder of Officer Johnnie Gibson, using the same handgun, one month earlier in almost identical circumstances.

The subjects were both convicted of the murders and executed on March 28, 1924.

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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Crain served with the Dallas Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Dallas community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Crain.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Dallas, Collin County, TX
Platform Identity dpd.dallas.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 24, 1923
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1923, 199 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 14th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 56. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun; .38 caliber, in 0.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Dallas Police Department has 95 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer John Richard Crain

Dallas Police Department · End of Watch May 24, 1923

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 58-W

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