Sioux City Police Department, Iowa
End of Watch: Tuesday, July 22, 1919
Age: 39
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: July 22, 1919
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Shot and killed
Detective James Britton was shot and killed when he and three other officers went at 3:30 p.m. to arrest a group of outlaws. When the officers entered the address at W. Third and Ross Street, the suspects opened fire -- fatally wounding Detective Britton. Detective Britton was able to return fire and kill one of the suspects and wound a second. The third suspect was also shot and wounded by another officer.
One suspect, sentenced to life, escaped from Fort Madison Penitentiary in 1921. In 1929 he was recaptured in Vancouver, British Columbia, and returned to Iowa. He was paroled on Oct. 18, 1943.
Detective Britton was buried at Graceland Park Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa.