John W. Gilley
Detective

John W. Gilley

Kansas City Police Department — Kansas City, KS
Felonious
End of Watch May 13, 1889
Age 37
The Vigil Panel 10 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective John Gilley was stabbed to death while sitting in a courtroom attending a hearing for two suspects he had arrested. One of the suspects was sitting behind Detective Gilley and produced a knife and stabbed Detective Gilley in the back of the neck. Detective Gilley and two other detectives opened fire on the suspect, killing him. Detective Gilley succumbed to his wound two days later. The second suspect escaped during the turmoil and was never captured.

Survivors

Detective Gilley was survived by his son, mother, and brother.

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

137 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Detective Gilley served with the Kansas City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Kansas City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Kansas City, Wyandotte County, KS
Platform Identity kpd.wyandotte.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 13, 1889
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Edged weapon

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 1889, 46 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 142nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 37. 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

May holds 8% 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

Kansas City Police Department has 20 officers remembered here, John among them.

Detective John W. Gilley

Kansas City Police Department · End of Watch May 13, 1889

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 4-E

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