George Ridgeway
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

George Ridgeway

Felonious
End of Watch December 5, 1910
Age 28
The Vigil Panel 25 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff George Ridgeway was shot and killed during a miner's strike at the Latrobe & Connellsville Coal Company.

He had been assigned to the protect the belongings of a non-union miner who was moving from the Derry No. 1 mine to Snydertown. He had just passed through Loyolhanna when he was confronted by several union members who attempted to stop the wagon. A struggle ensued between Deputy Ridgeway and one of the miners, who produced a gun and shot him in the head, killing him.

The man who shot Deputy Ridgeway fled to LaSalle, Illinois, where he was arrested in February 1911. He was extradited back to Westmoreland County, convicted of murder, and sentenced to six years in prison.

Deputy Ridgeway was survived by his wife.

Two weeks after Deputy Ridgeway's murder Deputy Sheriff Charles Davidson was struck and killed by a train while fleeing striking miners who were attempting to attack him near the same mine.

Survivors

Deputy Ridgeway was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-60D28595
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Ridgeway served with the Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Greensburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Ridgeway.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Greensburg, Westmoreland County, PA
Platform Identity wcso.westmoreland.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 5, 1910
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Deputy Sheriff George Ridgeway is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office
2
of 3 officers
66.7% Felonious
PA — Statewide
597
of 1,261 officers
47.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George Ridgeway's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How George Ridgeway Compares

Age at Death
28
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George Ridgeway is highlighted in Dec.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. George Ridgeway was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Westmoreland County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.