Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Patrick Riley was accidentally shot and killed during a raid when a handgun fell from another officer's pocket and discharged, striking him. On March 5, 1887, though off duty, Patrolman Riley went with rookie Patrolmen Samuel T. Corbin and Frank Morgan to conduct a raid on Louis White’s Saloon and “crap” house in Rat Row at No. 97 East Front Street. The officers went to Central Station to get a patrol wagon and drive to the saloon. Along the way, they found and picked up rookie Patrolmen Thomas M. Higgins and Frank Kruse, who patrolled a beat adjoining Patrolmen Corbin and Morgan’s. When they neared White’s Saloon, they split up and walked quietly to the front and rear, Patrolmen Kruse and Morgan at the front with Patrolman Riley following. As they ran across the street, Patrolman Kruse leaped over a puddle in the street and onto the sidewalk. His regulation .38 caliber revolver came out of his breast pocket, fell to the ground, landed on its hammer, and discharged. Patrolman Kruse stopped, picked up the revolver, and ran into the saloon. The patrons, having heard the gunshot, stampeded from all exits of the saloon. At the time, Patrolman Kruse did not know that the bullet had struck Patrolman Riley several feet behind him. Patrolman Riley didn’t know either. He heard the shot and felt the searing pain. He began to stagger and, five seconds later, came to the realization, exclaiming, “Oh, I’m shot!” A citizen, James Stamp, saw this and went to Patrolman Riley, who told him to examine his revolver, thinking that it was the one that had discharged. Stamp advised that all the cartridges were intact and then helped the wounded officer to Johnson’s Saloon, across the street from White’s. Stamp suggested he call for a wagon, and Patrolman Riley said, “No, the wagon is coming .” As officers came from the now empty White’s Saloon, they found Patrolman Riley wounded at Johnson’s Saloon and rode with him to the Hammond Street Stationhouse and then to Central Station
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- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
139 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Riley gave the Cincinnati Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Patrick Riley 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 OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Cincinnati Police Department, 32 of 106 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Patrick Riley's cause is highlighted.
How Patrick Riley Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Patrick Riley is highlighted in Mar.
Others Who Wore This Badge
105 officers from Cincinnati Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
