Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 4 years, 5 months, 6 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: District 4, 4th Precinct - South Wabash
District of Incident (Present Day): 002 - Wentworth
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 30
Timeline
Date of Birth: 11 Jan 1889
Date of Appointment: 22 Feb 1915
Date of Incident: 28 Jul 1919
End of Watch: 28 Jul 1919
Date of Interment: 05 Aug 1919
Interment Details
Cemetery: Lincoln Cemetery - Chicago, Illinois
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # B-5
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 7
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 1, Line 57
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 19-E: 8
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman John W. Simpson, Star #4774, aged 30 years, was a 4 year, 5 month, 6 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to District 4, 4th Precinct – South Wabash.
On July 28, 1919, at 8:45 p.m., Officer Simpson was found in an alley at 27th Street and Wabash Avenue with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. A black rioter shot him at the 31st Street Train Station, located at 31st Street and Wabash Avenue. The incident took place during the 1919 race riot. Officer Simpson was taken to Mercy Hospital where he was taken into surgery. His wounds were to grave and he died on the operating room table the same day.
On August 28, 1919, the arrest of the assailant was recommended by the Coroner. The assailant is unknown and was still at large as of January 1920.
Officer Simpson was waked at his residence located at 3910 South Calumet Avenue. He was laid to rest on August 5, 1919 in Lincoln Cemetery, 12300 South Kedzie Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
Patrolman John W. Simpson, born January 11, 1889, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on February 22, 1915.
Officer Simpson was survived by his parents: Mariah and Silas and brother, Curtis.
Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department homicide file, Case #5209.
Officer Simpson was one of the 38 fatalities of The Chicago Race Riot of 1919. Chicago’s riot was the worst amongst approximately two dozen riots which raged in the U.S. during the “Red Summer.” The “Red Summer” which occurred in the summer and autumn months marked the culmination of racial tension after WWI.
In January 2021, A Chicago Police Department Mounted Unit Horse was named “Simpson” in honor of Officer Simpson.
A Chicago Police Department Mounted Police horse has been named in his honor. (2020)