Detective

John S. Buettner

Cleveland Division of Police — Cleveland, OH
Felonious
End of Watch August 9, 1932
Age 44
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Badge 20
Gender Male

Incident

Detective John Buettner succumbed to a gunshot wound received three days earlier while attempting to question a robbery suspect at East 79th Street and Superior shortly after midnight. While on routine patrol, Detective Buettner and his partner received notification about a robbery at 11:30 pm. They stopped their vehicle when they noticed a subject matching the description of one of the robbery suspects. When the two officers approached the man, he suddenly produced a small handgun from his waistband and opened fire, striking Detective Buettner in the stomach. Detective Buettner's partner was able to return fire and struck the fleeing subject in the right shoulder before he escaped. Detective Buettner was transported to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds three days later. The subject was eventually apprehended and confessed to the robbery and Detective Buettner's murder. He was sentenced to death for the murder and executed in the electric chair. Detective Buettner had served with the Cleveland Division of Police for 19 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

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.
Detective Buettner gave the Cleveland Division of Police 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Buettner.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH
Platform Identity cdpd.cuyahoga.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 9, 1932
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Age 44
Badge Number 20
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1932, 210 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 8th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 44. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

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
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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Cleveland Division of Police has 119 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective John S. Buettner

Cleveland Division of Police · End of Watch August 9, 1932

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-W

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