Luther Brooks
Agency patch
Patrolman

Luther Brooks

Cincinnati Police Department — Cincinnati, OH
Accident
End of Watch November 22, 1901
Age 33
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 17 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Luther Brooks accidentally shot and killed himself when his revolver fell out of its holster and fired while he was crawling out of a cave at the Millcreek bottoms north of 8th Street. He and several other officers were searching the cave for suspects wanted in a series of freight car robberies. Guns discharging when dropped was common since this was before the hammer block safety was invented. He was transported to City Hospital where he succumbed to his wound three days later. Patrolman Brooks had served with the Cincinnati Police Department for 8 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

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 Brooks gave the Cincinnati Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Brooks.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH
Platform Identity cincpd.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 22, 1901
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Luther is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 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 1901, 18 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 121st heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Luther was 33. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Luther had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Fridays: 15.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Cincinnati Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, Luther among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Luther Brooks

Cincinnati Police Department · End of Watch November 22, 1901

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 44-W

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