Frank B. Callahan

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA

Felonious

End of Watch February 20, 1945

Age 54

Tour of Duty 26 yrs

The Vigil Panel 81 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Patrolman Frank Callahan was shot and mortally wounded by a man who he attempted to stop who was running from a pawn shop at 866 Washington Street in Boston. The man had just killed the proprietor and his wife during a holdup attempt. As the suspect fled the scene through the parking lot, he encountered Patrolman Callahan. When Patrolman Callahan attempted to apprehend him, he fired two shots, striking him near his heart. Another officer who was standing nearby pursued the suspect and, when he would not stop, shot and killed him. Patrolman Callahan succumbed to his wounds at the City Hospital the next day. Patrolman Callahan had served with the Boston Police Department for 26 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-13209494
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

26 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Callahan gave the Boston Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Callahan.

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

Agency

Department Boston Police Department

Location Roxbury Crossing, MA

Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 20, 1945

Tour of Duty 26 yrs

Age 54

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Patrolman Frank B. Callahan is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Boston Police Department, 45 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.5% of this agency's fallen.

Boston Police Department

of 106 officers

42.5% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious