On July 27, 1922, Special Officer Roy E. Burton was shot and killed from ambush while in the performance of his duties at the San Bernardino, California Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railroad yard.

Special Officer Burton was patrolling the west end of the San Bernardino AT&SF switching yard at about 2040 hours when he was fired upon from the darkness.  Burton was shot twice.  When his body was discovered at about 2130 hours near the main tracks he had his revolver in hand, which held three empty shell cases in the cylinder.

Roy E. Burton was born on September 28, 1891, in Missouri.  Burton was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and a member of the American Legion.  Burton was survived by his wife.