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Patrolman

Asa W. Furness

New York Municipal Police — New York City, NY

Felonious

End of Watch December 29, 1878

Age 34

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 20

Incident

Patrolman Asa Furness was shot and killed by an emotionally disturbed person. Patrolman Furness and other officers responded to a report of a man acting irrationally at the Metropolitan Hotel. When the officers arrived, they knocked on the door to the room the man was in. The man told them he would shoot the first man that came through the door. After a short time, the man opened the door and walked into the hallway. Patrolman Furness rushed the suspect and was shot twice. The suspect escaped but was later arrested by officers. Patrolman Furness had served with the New York Municipal Police Department for four years and was assigned to the 14th Precinct (modern-day 5th Precinct).

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

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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Tributes

148 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Furness gave the New York Municipal Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department New York Municipal Police

Type Police Department

Location New York City, NY

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

Service Record

End of Watch December 29, 1878

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Asa is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,117 remembered here.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

See the roll

Compare against

Time

In 1878, 54 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 136th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.

Every year on record · Worldwide

Who

Asa was 34. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Asa had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

December holds 9.2% of these deaths worldwide, more than any other month. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 20.4% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded