Patrolman

John Keegan

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch November 4, 1887
Age 38
Tour of Duty 5 mo
Badge 768
The Vigil Panel 9 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer John Keegan was found with a fatal gunshot wound several hours after failing to check in with his station. While patrolling his beat, Officer Keegan would report to the station from a patrol box every hour, confirming that all is well. Abruptly, the calls stopped coming after 11:45 p.m. on Nov. 3. Hours later, Officer Keegan was found mortally wounded with a gunshot wound to the head near Albany Avenue and Polk Street. His murder remains unsolved. Officer Keegan was assigned to the West Madison Street station.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

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

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 4, 1887
Tour of Duty 5 mo
Age 38
Badge Number 768
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.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1887, 42 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 146th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John 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. John had served 0.4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman John Keegan

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch November 4, 1887

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 40-E

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