Police Officer John W. Flynn, Helena Police Department, Montana

Police Officer John W. Flynn

Helena Police Department, Montana

End of Watch Wednesday, April 11, 1894

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John 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

burglary

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Officer 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