John J. Clancy
Agency patch
Patrolman

John J. Clancy

Brooklyn Police Department — New York, NY
Felonious
End of Watch September 1, 1890
Tour of Duty 3 yrs 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 10 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John Clancy died of injuries he sustained when he was assaulted by a man he had previously arrested.

Patrolman Clancy was on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Carroll Street, speaking with the local butcher, when a male walked up behind Patrolman Clancy and struck him in the head with a baseball bat. Patrolman Clancy was taken to Seney Hospital where he died one month later from his wounds, which included a fractured skull.

On January 23, 1891, the suspect, 23, was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in Sing Sing Prison.

Patrolman Clancy had served with the Brooklyn Police Department for 3 1/2 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-F0CF1647
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

136 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Clancy gave the Brooklyn Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch September 1, 1890
Tour of Duty 3 yrs 6 mo
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Blunt object; Bat

Patrolman John J. Clancy 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 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 Brooklyn Police Department, 6 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Brooklyn Police Department
6
of 9 officers
66.7% Felonious
NY — Statewide
728
of 2,147 officers
33.9% 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. John J. Clancy's cause is highlighted.

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

How John J. Clancy Compares

Years of Service
3.5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John J. Clancy is highlighted in Sep.

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. John J. Clancy was killed by blunt object; bat.

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

Incident Location