Rahway Police Department, New Jersey
End of Watch: Friday, January 8, 1971
Age: 27
Tour of Duty: 6 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Struck by train
Date of Incident: January 8, 1971
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Police Officer John Burns was struck and killed by a train.
He was attempting to arrest a suspect for narcotics possession and was pursuing the suspect on foot when he was struck and killed by a Penn Central Railroad train on the tracks near the Poplar Street overpass.
Officer Burns had served with the Rahway Police Department for only six months. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.