John W. Simpson
Agency patch
Patrolman

John W. Simpson

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch July 28, 1919
Age 30
Badge 4774
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John W. Simpson was shot and killed at the 31st Street Station during a race riot. 25 rioters were killed and 326 were injured over a 13 day period. This was the worst race riot out of 25 that occurred in the U.S. in 1919. Other riots occurred in Millen, Georgia, Washington D.C., Knoxville, Tennessee, Longview, Texas, Phillips County, Arkansas, Omaha, Nebraska, and most dramatically in Chicago. They became known as the "Red Summer Riots". Patrolman Simpson was assigned to the 3rd Precinct and is buried at Lincoln Cemetery in Chicago, Illinois.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Patrolman Simpson served with the Chicago Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Simpson.

— 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 July 28, 1919
Age 30
Badge Number 4774
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

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 1919, 212 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 7th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 30. 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

July holds 9.3% 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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years

Patrolman John W. Simpson

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch July 28, 1919

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 19-E

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