Samuel T. Cunningham

New York City Police Department — New York, NY

Felonious

End of Watch June 19, 1917

Age 35

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Badge 5454

The Vigil Panel 32 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1,236

Incident

Patrolman Samuel Cunningham was shot and killed while attempting to stop a stolen vehicle on Prescott Avenue (current-day Payson Avenue) in the Inwood section of Manhattan. When Patrolman Cunningham witnessed a reckless driver, he realized the vehicle had been stolen. He tried to stop the driver, who pulled out a gun and shot him five times. The driver crashed his vehicle into a pillar at 10th Avenue and fled. Patrolman Cunningham was transported to St. Lawrence Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds approximately three weeks later. The 18-year-old suspect was arrested in New Jersey about six months later. He was a member of the National Guard and had used a weapon stolen from the National Guard Armory to murder Officer Cunningham. In February of 1918, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to 20 years to life. On October 16, 1920, he and another inmate nearly beat three guards to death and escaped in a stolen automobile from Sing Sing Prison. Six days later, they were captured in Warner, New Hampshire. He got seven years added to his sentence for escape and another five years for assaulting the three guards. In 1947, he was paroled. In 1956, he was arrested by FBI agents in Las Angeles, California, for violating his parole. Patrolman Cunningham had served with the New York City Police Department for at least seven years and was assigned to the 42nd Precinct, the present-day 34th Precinct.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-4925BC4B
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Cunningham gave the New York City Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Cunningham.

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

Agency

Department New York City Police Department

Location New York, NY

Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 19, 1917

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 35

Badge Number 5454

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Paroled in 1947

Patrolman Samuel T. Cunningham is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At New York City Police Department, 382 of 1237 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 30.9% of this agency's fallen.

New York City Police Department

382

of 1,237 officers

30.9% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious