Frank J. McGurk

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Felonious

End of Watch August 3, 1920

Badge 557

The Vigil Panel 89 · Column 1 · Line 19 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 570

Incident

Detective Sergeant Frank McGurk was shot and killed when he attempted to stop three armed suspects from robbing a business. Sergeant McGurk was assigned to guard a factory payroll. As the payroll was distributed, three masked armed robbers entered. When Sergeant McGurk confronted the offenders, the gunmen fired. Although fatally wounded, the sergeant was able to return fire and cause the gunmen to flee without the payroll. One of the suspects was apprehended three weeks later in Chicago as he and two others attempted to rob a stockyard packer. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. Another, a 17-year-old soldier was apprehended two months later in Fort Omaha, Nebraska. He confessed he was the killer and was sentenced to life. He died in prison on October 16, 1924.

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Sergeant McGurk served with the Chicago Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant McGurk.

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

Agency

Department Chicago Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Chicago, Cook County, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 3, 1920

Badge Number 557

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Frank is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1920, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month

By day of the week

III

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