John J. Toomey

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch August 26, 1922

Age 28

Tour of Duty 5 yrs 4 mo

The Vigil Panel 43 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 377

Incident

Policeman John Toomey was accidentally shot by another officer during a raid at 172 East Chelton Avenue. Officers were conducting a raid on an illegal gambling business. Officers surrounded the building, and subjects fled through the front and back doors. As an officer pursued a subject and fired his service weapon, the shot missed and hit Officer Toomey in the hip. Officer Toomey was transported to Germantown Hospital, where physicians were able to save his life after four surgeries. He died as a result of complications two years later. Policeman Toomey was a Pennsylvania National Guard veteran and served with the Philadelphia Police Department for five and a half years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-710E8C3C
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.
Policeman Toomey gave the Philadelphia Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia 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

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 26, 1922

Tour of Duty 5 yrs 4 mo

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

John J. Toomey served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Policeman John J. Toomey 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 PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 33.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 110 of 378 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.1% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

110

of 378 officers

29.1% Accident

PA — Statewide

417

of 1,261 officers

33.1% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident