Roll of Honor
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
- 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 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Samuel T. Cunningham is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In NY, 728 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.9% of this state's fallen. That is 33.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At New York City Police Department, 365 of 1237 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 29.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Samuel T. Cunningham's cause is highlighted.
How Samuel T. Cunningham Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Samuel T. Cunningham is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Samuel T. Cunningham was killed by gun.
Incident Location
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