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John F. Houlehan
Agency patch
Patrolman

John F. Houlehan

Kansas City Police Department — Kansas City, MO
Felonious
United States flag Missouri flag
End of Watch December 23, 1916
Age 60
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 32 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 119

Incident

Patrolman John Houlehan was shot when he and his partner attempted to question a suspicious man near Park and Independence Avenues. The suspect pulled a revolver from inside his coat; shot Patrolman Houlehan, and then engaged in a running gun fight with his partner. As they entered a dark alley his partner was shot in the hip. Several citizens attracted to the scene chased down the suspect and detained him as other officers arrived.

Patrolman Houlehan died seven days later from his wounds. He had been with the agency for 20 years.

In February of 1917 the 22-year-old suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. On December 9, 1917, he was admitted to the prison hospital with two broken ankles after an unsuccessful attempt to escape. As he scaled down the outside wall his rope broke. In 1919 he made another unsuccessful attempt to escape. He was transferred to the Fulton Insane Asylum on January 4, 1921, and died there on January 10, 1931.

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Houlehan gave the Kansas City Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Kansas City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Houlehan.

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

Agency

Department Kansas City Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Kansas City, Cass County, MO
Platform Identity kcpd.jackson.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 23, 1916
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 60
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1916, 155 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 24th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 60. 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 20 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years

Patrolman John F. Houlehan

Kansas City Police Department · End of Watch December 23, 1916

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 25-W

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