Casper Lauer
Agency patch
Patrolman

Casper Lauer

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch September 18, 1854
Age 34
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Badge A1
The Vigil Panel 2 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Casper Lauer was stabbed to death while walking a suspect to the station after arresting the intoxicated man for fighting with his parents. At the intersection of Jackson Street and Edina Place (currently known as Plymouth Court) the suspect began to struggle, produced a knife, and stabbed Patrolman Lauer in the left side with the blade passing between two ribs. Despite the wound Patrolman Lauer was able to strike two heavy blows to the suspect's head with his department-issued cane. The suspect fell to the ground bleeding profusely. Patrolman Lauer secured the murder weapon and ordered the crowd not to let the suspect escape. After stopping a passing wagon Patrolman Lauer was taken to the nearest drug store where he died shortly thereafter. The photograph of Patrolman Lauer was taken after his death and is the only known photograph taken of him.

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

172 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Lauer gave the Chicago Police Department 5 years.
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 September 18, 1854
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 34
Badge Number A1
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Casper 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 1854, 9 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 173rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Casper was 34. 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. Casper had served 5 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%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 edged weapon, in 2.2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Casper Lauer

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch September 18, 1854

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 4-E

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