Martin C. McCaw
Agency patch
Patrolman

Martin C. McCaw

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Accident
End of Watch April 27, 1942
Age 34
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 6991
The Vigil Panel 79 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Martin C. McCaw was accidentally shot and killed when his partner tripped and his service revolver discharged. The two officers chased two gunmen into a vacant lot at 653 Blue Island Avenue. Patrolman McCaw had just captured one of the men when his partner tripped and discharged the revolver. The round struck Patrolman McCaw in the head. He was transported to Mother Cabrini Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Both men fled the scene after the shot was fired. Patrolman McCaw had received a citizen award months earlier for rescuing five people from a burning apartment building in January. He was assigned to District 12 and was a seven-year veteran of the department.

Survivors

He is survived by his five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-3CE5B041
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman McCaw gave the Chicago Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman McCaw.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 27, 1942
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 34
Badge Number 6991
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Patrolman Martin C. McCaw is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 26.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Chicago Police Department, 107 of 571 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 18.7% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department
107
of 571 officers
18.7% Accident
IL — Statewide
354
of 1,318 officers
26.9% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Martin C. McCaw's cause is highlighted.

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

How Martin C. McCaw Compares

Age at Death
34
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
7
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Martin C. McCaw is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location