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Patrolman

Nicholas Panico

New York City Police Department — New York, NY

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch August 31, 1962

Age 32

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Badge 21270

The Vigil Panel 215 · Column 1 · Line 11 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 1,221

Incident

Patrolman Nicholas Panico and Patrolman Robert Byrnes were shot and killed by a man who went on a shooting spree at Coney Island. The suspect had attempted to murder his former landlady and then ran outside and killed a woman sitting nearby. The suspect ran onto the Boardwalk at West 25th Street. He approached both officers from behind and shot them both in the back of their heads. Patrolman Panico was killed at the scene, and Patrolman Byrnes succumbed to his wounds at Coney Island Hospital four days later. The suspect continued shooting at other citizens, wounding three more people, including another patrolman, before being shot and killed by an Emergency Services officer. Patrolman Panico was a U.S Army Korean War veteran who had served with the New York City Police Department for six years, assigned to the 62nd Precinct.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

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

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.
Patrolman Panico gave the New York City Police Department 6 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 Police Department

Type Police Department

Location New York, NY

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

Service Record

End of Watch August 31, 1962

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 32

Badge Number 21270

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Nicholas Panico served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Nicholas 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 1962, 67 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 107th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Nicholas was 32. 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. Nicholas 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

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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