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John S. Burke
Trooper

John S. Burke

MI State Police — Lansing, MI
Felonious
United States flag Michigan flag
End of Watch October 13, 1930
Age 23
The Vigil Panel 60 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 56

Incident

Trooper Burke was shot and killed after stopping two bank robbers in St. Joseph County. He had been notified of the robbery and stopped the men on a county road. While he searched one of the suspects the second suspect shot him in the back three times. The suspects then drove over his body before fleeing. Both suspects, 28 and 30, were apprehended four hours later just across the state line in Indiana. Six hours later both were convicted of Trooper Burke's murder. Four days later both were in the state penitentiary serving a life sentence. The next day it was discovered that the one who fired the fatal shot had gone AWOL from the army in 1921. The other inmate had escaped from the Ohio Penitentiary in 1926 a few days after he was sentenced to 2 to 15 years for breaking and entering. In 1933 he was adjudged insane and committed in the state mental hospital for the criminally insane at Ionia. In 1948 the other suspect was awarded a new trial, convicted of second degree murder, and sentenced to 7 to 15 years.

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Burke served with the Michigan State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of Michigan. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Burke.

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

Agency

Department MI State Police
Type State Police
Location Lansing, Ingham County, MI
Platform Identity msp.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 13, 1930
Age 23
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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1930, 239 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 2nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 23. 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

October holds 7.9% 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

MI State Police has 57 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years

Trooper John S. Burke

MI State Police · End of Watch October 13, 1930

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 1-E

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