Thomas J. Riley

Cambridge Police Department — Cambridge, MA

Felonious

End of Watch November 20, 1920

Age 34

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 40 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Patrolman Riley was shot and killed while trying to disperse a group of drunk men. As he turned to leave one of the men produced a revolver and shot Patrolman Riley in the head. Patrolman Riley had been with the agency for eight years. A 25-year-old suspect was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to death. Governor Channing H. Cox commuted his sentence to life. He was pardoned on December 24, 1953.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-3C5F9B6F
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Thomas. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Riley gave the Cambridge Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cambridge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Riley.

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

Agency

Department Cambridge Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Cambridge, Middlesex County, MA

Platform Identity cambpd.middlesex.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 20, 1920

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Patrolman Thomas J. Riley 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 42.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Cambridge Police Department, 3 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Cambridge Police Department

of 12 officers

25% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious