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Police Officer

James G. Carragher

New York City Housing Authority Police Department — New York, NY

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 11, 1982

Age 55

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

Badge 2862

The Vigil Panel 276 · Column 2 · Line 1 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 18

Incident

Police Officer James Carragher was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest two suspects who tried to rob him. Officer Carragher had just returned home from his tour of duty and was about eighty feet from his building when two men approached him with guns. The men attempted to rob Officer Carragher. Officer Carragher drew his weapon and was able to fire five shots before being shot twice and killed. The suspects, 22 and 32, were arrested approximately ten months later after Detectives received a tip that one of the suspects had been bragging about his role in the murder of Officer Carragher. One of the suspects, 22, was later convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 18 years to life in prison. In an unrelated robbery of an elderly woman the same night, 9 to 18 years was added to his sentence. He was paroled on September 5, 2014. Officer Carragher was a United States Navy veteran of World War II who served with the New York City Housing Authority Police Department for 16 years and was assigned to Service Area 1.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four daughters, and four grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. James is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Carragher gave the New York City Housing Authority Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department New York City Housing Authority Police Department

Type Police Department

Location New York, NY

Platform Identity nyhapd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 11, 1982

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

Age 55

Badge Number 2862

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

James G. Carragher served in the U.S. Navy (1945â1946) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1982, 122 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 42nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

James was 55. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. James had served 16 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded