Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Francis O'Rourke suffered a fatal heart attack following the arrest of two subjects in an apartment at 134 West 143rd Street. Detective O'Rourke was at an apartment to make an arrest. He requested that a Patrolman meet him at the apartment. Detective O'Rourke and the Patrolman were refused admittance into the apartment, but heard a window open and the sounds of someone attempting to exit it. Detective O'Rourke forced the door open. The wanted subject had fled through the window, but the officers placed two other subjects under arrest. Later that night Detective O'Rourke began to experience chest pains. He died at Pearl River General Hospital the following day. Detective O'Rourke was assigned to the 32nd Detectives Squad.
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BO-US-NY-CA6F6ED2- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective O'Rourke served with the New York City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective O'Rourke.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Francis X. O'Rourke is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NY, 99 of 2,147 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At New York City Police Department, 44 of 1237 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Francis X. O'Rourke's cause is highlighted.
How Francis X. O'Rourke Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Francis X. O'Rourke is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1,236 officers from New York City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
