Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Irving Wright was accidentally shot and killed while off-duty by two Police Officers who mistook him for an offender. Officer Wright was off-duty and working a security job at a grocery store when a man entered with a gun and held up the store. After the man exited, Patrolman Wright drew his .38 caliber off-duty revolver and began to chase the suspect. Patrolman Wright chased the suspect south on St. Nicholas Avenue, then west on 111th Street and then north on Seventh Avenue, exchanging gunfire with the suspect the entire time. Two on-duty officers saw Officer Wright running with a gun in his hand near the corner of 111th Street but did not see the suspect because he ran west on 111th Street and hid under a parked car. The two patrolmen exited their patrol car and yelled "Freeze!, Drop your gun!". Officer Wright did stop at first but then spun around toward the officers. As he turned, his gun accidentally discharged. Both uniformed officers opened fire, striking Officer Wright six times. He was rushed to St. Luke's Hospital, where he died from his wounds. The suspect who robbed the store was apprehended and charged with Robbery and Criminal Possession of a Weapon. Officer Wright was a United States Air Force veteran and served with the New York City Police Department for seven years, assigned to the 20th precinct. He was survived by his three daughters, son and three brothers, two of whom were New York City Police Officers and a third who was an Assemblyman in the New York State Assembly. He is buried at Beaufort National Cemetery in Beaufort, Beaufort County, South Carolina.
Survivors
He was survived by his three daughters, son and three brothers, two of whom were New York City Police Officers and a third who was an Assemblyman in the New York State Assembly.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-NY-AE5D7CAB- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Wright gave the New York City Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Irving E. Wright served in the U.S. Air Force (1956â1960) before joining law enforcement.
Police Officer Irving E. Wright is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At New York City Police Department, 283 of 1237 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 22.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Irving E. Wright's cause is highlighted.
How Irving E. Wright Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Irving E. Wright is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Military Service
Irving E. Wright served in the U.S. Air Force (1956–1960) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Irving E. Wright’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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