Patrick Riley

Cincinnati Police Department — Cincinnati, OH

Accident

End of Watch March 8, 1887

Age 26

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Badge 89

The Vigil Panel 25 · Column 3 · Line 4 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Patrolman Patrick Riley was accidentally shot and killed during a raid when a handgun fell from another officer's pocket and discharged, striking him. On March 5, 1887, though off duty, Patrolman Riley went with rookie Patrolmen Samuel T. Corbin and Frank Morgan to conduct a raid on Louis White’s Saloon and “crap” house in Rat Row at No. 97 East Front Street. The officers went to Central Station to get a patrol wagon and drive to the saloon. Along the way, they found and picked up rookie Patrolmen Thomas M. Higgins and Frank Kruse, who patrolled a beat adjoining Patrolmen Corbin and Morgan’s. When they neared White’s Saloon, they split up and walked quietly to the front and rear, Patrolmen Kruse and Morgan at the front with Patrolman Riley following. As they ran across the street, Patrolman Kruse leaped over a puddle in the street and onto the sidewalk. His regulation .38 caliber revolver came out of his breast pocket, fell to the ground, landed on its hammer, and discharged. Patrolman Kruse stopped, picked up the revolver, and ran into the saloon. The patrons, having heard the gunshot, stampeded from all exits of the saloon. At the time, Patrolman Kruse did not know that the bullet had struck Patrolman Riley several feet behind him. Patrolman Riley didn’t know either. He heard the shot and felt the searing pain. He began to stagger and, five seconds later, came to the realization, exclaiming, “Oh, I’m shot!” A citizen, James Stamp, saw this and went to Patrolman Riley, who told him to examine his revolver, thinking that it was the one that had discharged. Stamp advised that all the cartridges were intact and then helped the wounded officer to Johnson’s Saloon, across the street from White’s. Stamp suggested he call for a wagon, and Patrolman Riley said, “No, the wagon is coming .” As officers came from the now empty White’s Saloon, they found Patrolman Riley wounded at Johnson’s Saloon and rode with him to the Hammond Street Stationhouse and then to Central Station

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

139 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Riley gave the Cincinnati Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Cincinnati Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH

Platform Identity cincpd.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 8, 1887

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 4 mo

Age 26

Badge Number 89

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Patrick 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1887, 6 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 142nd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Patrick was 26. 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. Patrick had served 1.3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.