John L. Cunningham
Agency patch
Police Officer

John L. Cunningham

Anniston Police Department — Anniston, AL
Felonious
End of Watch June 25, 1911
Age 32
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 8
The Vigil Panel 25 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer John Cunningham was shot and killed while assisting other officers searching for a man who had wounded the Chief of Police and Calhoun County sheriff a short time earlier. The chief and sheriff had attempted to arrest the man at his home for causing a disturbance near a local steel plant. The subject opened fire on them as they approached the house, striking the chief in the hip and the sheriff in his belt buckle, before fleeing. Officer Cunningham was shot by the man when he encountered him in the western portion of the city at approximately 4:00 pm. Another officer returned fire and wounded the subject. The 30-year-old suspect was convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to 50 years, and sent to a convict work camp at the Maxine Coal Mine in Jefferson County. On April 20th, 1920, he was killed when a load of rocks fell on him. Officer Cunningham had served with the Anniston Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five sons.

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.
Police Officer Cunningham gave the Anniston Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Anniston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Cunningham.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Anniston, Calhoun County, AL
Platform Identity apd.calhoun.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 25, 1911
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 32
Badge Number 8
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 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 1911, 149 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 27th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 32. 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 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

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, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Anniston Police Department has 15 officers remembered here, John among them.

Police Officer John L. Cunningham

Anniston Police Department · End of Watch June 25, 1911

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 45-E

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