Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Thomas Sheehan suffered a fatal heart attack after a foot chase of a burglar at a hotel in the 400 block of West 22nd Street in Manhattan. At 3:00 am, Patrolman Sheehan and his partner responded to a burglar call at the hotel. Due to the elevator being used, both Patrolmen ran up six flights of steps to the roof. They caught sight of the burglar and pursued him to the hotel's roof, and lost him. Both Patrolmen returned to their patrol car, where Officer Sheehan complain of chest pains and being unable to breathe. His partner took him to the hospital, where he suffered a fatal heart attack. Patrolman Sheehan was a WWII veteran and had served with the New York City Police Department for two and a half years, assigned to the 10th Precinct.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-D597E4EA- 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.
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Sheehan gave the New York City Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Thomas Joseph Sheehan served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Thomas Joseph Sheehan is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NY, 99 of 2,147 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At New York City Police Department, 44 of 1237 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Joseph Sheehan's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Joseph Sheehan Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Joseph Sheehan is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1,236 officers from New York City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
