James G. Carragher
Agency patch
Police Officer

James G. Carragher

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 11, 1982
Age 55
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Badge 2862
The Vigil Panel 125 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer James Carragher was shot and killed as he attempted to arrest two suspects who tried to rob him. Officer Carragher had just returned home from his tour of duty and was about eighty feet from his building when two men approached him with guns. The men attempted to rob Officer Carragher. Officer Carragher drew his weapon and was able to fire five shots before being shot twice and killed. The suspects, 22 and 32, were arrested approximately ten months later after Detectives received a tip that one of the suspects had been bragging about his role in the murder of Officer Carragher. One of the suspects, 22, was later convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 18 years to life in prison. In an unrelated robbery of an elderly woman the same night, 9 to 18 years was added to his sentence. He was paroled on September 5, 2014. Officer Carragher was a United States Navy veteran of World War II who served with the New York City Housing Authority Police Department for 16 years and was assigned to Service Area 1.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four daughters, and four grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-4688BB0E
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 Carragher gave the New York City Housing Authority Police Department 16 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

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nyhapd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 11, 1982
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Age 55
Badge Number 2862
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

James G. Carragher served in the U.S. Navy (1945–1946) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer James G. Carragher 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In NY, 728 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.9% of this state's fallen. That is 33.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At New York City Housing Authority Police Department, 13 of 19 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 68.4% of this agency's fallen.

New York City Housing Authority Police Department
13
of 19 officers
68.4% Felonious
NY — Statewide
728
of 2,147 officers
33.9% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James G. Carragher's cause is highlighted.

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

How James G. Carragher Compares

Age at Death
55
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
16
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James G. Carragher is highlighted in Feb.

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. James G. Carragher was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

James G. Carragher served in the U.S. Navy (1945–1946) before joining law enforcement.

Visit James G. Carragher’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.