Roll of Honor
Incident
Private Garscia was accidentally shot and killed by another officer while executing a warrant in Inkerman, Pennsylvania. Private Garscia and another officer were inside a saloon when they both attempted to arrest a subject with an outstanding warrant. The subject resisted arrest and as Private Garscia partner drew his revolver, the weapon accidentally fired wounding Private Garscia. Private Garscia was taken to Pittston Hospital where he succumbed to his wound a week later. Private Garscia was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for more than three years. Private Garscia was assigned to Troop B, Wilkes-Barre, present-day Troop P, Wilkes-Barre.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and son who moved to Warsaw, Poland.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-0B58FC0F- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Private Garscia gave the Pennsylvania State Police 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania, 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
John Garscia served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Private John Garscia is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Pennsylvania State Police, 42 of 87 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Garscia's cause is highlighted.
How John Garscia Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Garscia is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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