Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective George Williams was shot and killed in a gun battle with five men at 16th Street and South Street. Detective Williams, the city’s only black detective, came upon a fracas in a bar and was trying to arrest the men when one opened fire on him. Detective Williams had been a star of the Cuban Giants of the Negro Baseball League. He was the first black officer killed in the line of duty. The principal killer in this case, a 22-year-year old male was executed for the crime on November 1st, 1920. Detective Williams had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 25 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-8C1DC550- 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
25 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Williams gave the Philadelphia Police Department 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Williams.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective George L. Williams 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 Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. George L. Williams's cause is highlighted.
How George L. Williams Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. George L. Williams is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. George L. Williams was killed by gun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
377 officers from Philadelphia Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
