George P. O'Connell

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA

Felonious

End of Watch November 16, 1906

Age 55

The Vigil Panel 21 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Officer George O'Connell was shot and killed when three masked suspects tried to rob a saloon he was a patron in at the corner of Sixth and Brannan Streets. On the evening of November 16th, 1906, Officer O'Connell was chatting with friends at the bar in a saloon at the northeast corner of 6th and Brannan streets when the front and side doors were suddenly thrust open by two armed men wearing handkerchief masks. The robbers ordered the patrons to "throw up their hands," but Officer O'Connell drew his own pistol and fired on the man at the front door. Both robbers returned fire, hitting Officer O'Connell and another patron. Officer O'Connell was able to fire at and hit one of the suspects; responding officers found one suspect dead, still wearing his handkerchief mask, a few feet from the front door. The patron was found dead at the scene; Officer O'Connell died two hours later at the hospital. The suspect was identified and Officers were able to find and arrest the second suspect who was found guilty at trial and sentenced to be executed. Before the date of execution his sentence was commuted to a term in prison. He was paroled in April 1921 and died six months later.

Survivors

Officer O'Connell was survived by his siblings and is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-1D7E03B3
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer O'Connell served with the San Francisco Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer O'Connell.

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

Agency

Department San Francisco Police Department

Location San Francisco, CA

Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 16, 1906

Age 55

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender One shot and killed, two arrested

Officer George P. O'Connell 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At San Francisco Police Department, 66 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.3% of this agency's fallen.

San Francisco Police Department

of 106 officers

62.3% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious