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Thomas J. Gill
Agency patch
Detective

Thomas J. Gill

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA
Veteran → Accident
United States flag Massachusetts flag
End of Watch February 10, 1988
Age 38
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 295 · Column 1 · Line 6 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 105

Incident

Detective Thomas Gill was struck by an Amtrak train while searching for several firearms that had been stolen in a burglary at a nearby home on Brooksdale Road. Investigators received a tip that that 14 of the firearms had been concealed in a duffle bag and thrown over a fence onto the railroad tracks in the area of the Stockyard Restaurant, on Market Street, when he was struck. It is believed he did not hear or see the train because of the noise from the adjacent interstate and because the area he was searching was on a sharp curve. Detective Gill was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Boston Police Department for 18 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three daughters.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Thomas 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.
Detective Gill gave the Boston Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing 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 Boston Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Roxbury Crossing, Suffolk County, MA
Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 10, 1988
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Thomas J. Gill served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Accident

Thomas is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.

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

  3. See the roll
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1988, 80 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 27th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 38. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Thomas had served 18 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 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Boston Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Thomas J. Gill

Boston Police Department · End of Watch February 10, 1988

Military Service

Thomas J. Gill served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

Visit Thomas J. Gill’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 12-E

Also Remembered

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