John Joseph Moriarty
Agency patch
Sergeant

John Joseph Moriarty

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA
Felonious
End of Watch May 26, 1916
Age 53
Tour of Duty 26 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant John Moriarty was shot and killed when he attempted to arrest a suspect who was using counterfeit half-dollar coins. Sergeant Moriarty was sent to investigate a report of counterfeit coins being used. When he located the suspect, he searched him, overlooking a .32- caliber revolver that was strapped to his leg. Without warning, the suspect drew his weapon and shot Sergeant Moriarty. Despite being mortally wounded, Sergeant Moriarty was able to hold the suspect until a civilian came over and struck him on the head with a wrench. The suspect was able to flee, pursued by responding officers and a gang of civilians. They were able to corner the suspect in a boathouse, where after a long gun battle, the suspect was shot and killed. Sergeant Moriarty had served with the San Francisco Police Department for 26 years.

Survivors

He was survived by four children and one stepson.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

26 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Moriarty gave the San Francisco Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Moriarty.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Francisco, CA
Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 26, 1916
Tour of Duty 26 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1916, 155 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 24th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 53. 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. John had served 26 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%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

San Francisco Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years

Sergeant John Joseph Moriarty

San Francisco Police Department · End of Watch May 26, 1916

Where the Name Is Cut

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