Thomas Joseph Szafranski
Agency patch
Officer

Thomas Joseph Szafranski

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office — Jacksonville, FL
Felonious
End of Watch May 24, 1981
Age 29
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 124 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Thomas Szafranski was shot and killed by a sniper with a high-powered rifle while sitting in his patrol car near Davis Street and Sixth Street. The sniper shot him in the head in the unprovoked attack. The suspect was sentenced to death and executed on March 24th, 1998. Officer Szafranski had served with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother, sister, and three brothers.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Szafranski gave the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Jacksonville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Szafranski.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Jacksonville, Duval County, FL
Platform Identity jso.duval.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 24, 1981
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

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

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1981, 126 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 39th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 29. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Thomas had served 6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has 30 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

VI

Where

Officer Thomas Joseph Szafranski

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office · End of Watch May 24, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 25-E

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