Helena Police Department, Montana
End of Watch Wednesday, April 11, 1894
Add to My HeroesJohn W. Flynn
Police Officer John Flynn was shot and killed when he interrupted a burglary in progress at the Northern Pacific Railroad Depot in Helena.
He was making his usual rounds when he encountered several burglars in the ticket office breaking into a safe. As he entered the office he was struck with an object and then shot three times as he yelled for help. The suspects fled the scene with $140.
Officer Flynn had served with the Helena Police Department for six years. He was survived by his wife and two children.
Bio
- Age 45
- Tour 6 years
- Badge Not available
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Handgun
- Offender Never apprehended
Most Recent Reflection
View all 8 ReflectionsOfficer Flynn's killer was a man named Thomas Blanck, which was believed to be an assumed name of a highwayman and killer who killed several people, including other law enforcement officers (Northern Pacific Station Agent William H. Ogle in Belgrade, MT, and former Pierce County Deputy and recently appointed constable in Puyallup, WA Marshal Harry Moore), up until his capture after murdering a bartender in October of 1894 in Seattle. Seattle Police Officer John Corbett and Detective Edward Cudihee located Blanck the following day, and Cudihee was shot and wounded during the arrest but not seriously injured. Blanck pled guilty to murder, but the case went to trial to determine the degree of murder. He was found guilty of Murder 1st degree and sentenced to hang. The sentence was overturned on appeal, and while awaiting new sentencing, Blanck engineered a mass escape from King County Jail. He was shot and killed days later by members of the deputized posse on March 21, 1895.
Casey Gleason
December 11, 2021
Recent LODD Deaths

Border Patrol Agent Daniel Salazar
United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - United States Border Patrol, US
EOW: May 17, 2022

Chief Deputy Sheriff Jody Wayne Cash
Calloway County Sheriff's Office, KY
EOW: May 16, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Walter Donald Jenkins, Jr.
Rockdale County Sheriff's Office, GA
EOW: May 11, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Robert Adam Howard
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: May 11, 2022

Patrol Officer Brian Lee Sember
Ottawa Police Department, IL
EOW: April 3, 2022

Sergeant Nicholas W. Tullier
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office, LA
EOW: May 5, 2022

Police Officer Darryl Wayne Fortner
Vestavia Hills Police Department, AL
EOW: April 6, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Nicholas D. Weist
Knox County Sheriff's Office, IL
EOW: April 29, 2022

Deputy Sheriff Douglas Warren Sanford
Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, IN
EOW: March 29, 2022