Sergeant James King succumbed to gunshot wound received six days earlier when he was robbed while walking home.

On January 12, 1924, as he was walking on Kingshighway north of Easton, two robbers walked up to Sergeant King told him to put his hands up he instead drew his weapon and exchanged gunfire with the men. He was struck three times, once through the right chest to the left side of his chest, one entered his left leg and another entered his stomach. The robbers fled as Sergeant King continued to fire at them. He walked to the callbox at Kingshighway and Easton but it was not functioning due to vandalism.

Two patrons at a local saloon at 4974 Easton came to Sergeant Kings aid and rushed him in a third person's car to St. John's Hospital. Sergeant Kings died from his wounds six days later at 11:40 am on January 18, 1920 .

Sergeant King was the supervisor for Detective District B in the Fourth District. He had been with the agency for 24 years. His parents were both born in Ireland. He was survived by his wife, Nellie, and four children. Interred: Calvary Cemetery, St Louis, MO.