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Walter O'Neill
Agency patch
Patrolman

Walter O'Neill

Jersey City Police Department — Jersey City, NJ
Accident
United States flag New Jersey flag
End of Watch March 2, 1929
The Vigil Panel 57 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 40

Incident

Patrolman Walter O'Neill and Patrolman John Shanahan were accidentally shot and killed while chasing hold-up suspects. Patrolman Shanahan was on plainclothes duty looking for several hold-up men who were committing robberies in the area. He stopped four youths and, after searching them, asked them to accompany him to the station house for questioning. As the youths were walking with Patrolman Shanahan they saw a patrolman in uniform in a traffic booth at the corner of Leonard Street and Hudson Boulevard (modern day Kennedy Boulevard). Patrolman O'Neill, also in plainclothes, was standing about 10 feet from the traffic booth. Suddenly all of the suspects fled on foot toward the traffic booth, and one youth yelled to the uniformed patrolman, "Stop that man, he's holding us up." Patrolman Shanahan drew his weapon and fired one shot at the fleeing suspects. Upon hearing the youths cry for help and seeing Patrolman Shanahan firing at them, Patrolman O'Neill drew his weapon and ran toward them. When Patrolman Shanahan saw Patrolman O'Neill, in plainclothes, approaching with a gun, he shot and killed him. At this point, the traffic officer exited his booth, and fired at Patrolman Shanahan, striking him two times, killing him.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 17, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman O'Neill served with the Jersey City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Jersey City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman O'Neill.

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

Agency

Department Jersey City Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Jersey City, Hudson County, NJ
Platform Identity jpd.hudson.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 2, 1929
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Walter is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1929, 118 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, more than in any other year.

Every year on record · United States
II

When

March holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.9%.

By month
By day of the week
III

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
IV

His people

Jersey City Police Department has 41 officers remembered here, Walter among them.

Across the years
V

Where

Patrolman Walter O'Neill

Jersey City Police Department · End of Watch March 2, 1929

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 13-E

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