Douglas W. Gates
Agency patch
Officer

Douglas W. Gates

Oklahoma City Police Department — Oklahoma City, OK
Felonious
End of Watch December 3, 1933
Age 23
The Vigil Panel 67 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Douglas Gates was shot and killed after a pursuit of a stolen car. When the stolen car crashed, Officer Gates approached to arrest the driver when he was shot and killed. The suspect was convicted of murder and executed. Officer Gates' brother, Officer Jack Gates, had been shot and killed in the line of duty on March 23rd, 1930, while also serving with the Oklahoma City Police Department.

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.
Officer Gates served with the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Oklahoma City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Gates.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Oklahoma City, Canadian County, OK
Platform Identity opd.oklahoma.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 3, 1933
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Douglas 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 1933, 184 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 15th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Douglas was 23. 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.

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

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. 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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Oklahoma City Police Department has 33 officers remembered here, Douglas among them.

Officer Douglas W. Gates

Oklahoma City Police Department · End of Watch December 3, 1933

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 46-E

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