Timothy George McCarthy
Agency patch
Sergeant

Timothy George McCarthy

Pennsylvania State Police — Harrisburg, PA
Felonious Veteran
End of Watch May 12, 1931
Age 42
Tour of Duty 11 yrs 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 62 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant McCarthy was shot and killed after he accompanied two other officers to assist the Fulton County sheriff in serving a custody warrant on a suspect at his home in Brush Creek Township. When Sergeant McCarthy who was let into the house by the suspects mother, entered the kitchen, the suspect fired a pistol he had concealed, fatally wounding Sergeant McCarthy. The suspect fled to the upstairs. A second officer who was standing at the door ordered another officer to take the Sergeant to the car, but before they could reach the car, Sergeant McCarthy fell to the ground and died. Searching for Suspect another officer was wounded, but not seriously. Another officer ran to a home located atop the hill to phone for assistance. When assistance arrived, Sergeant McCarthy's dog, Omar, was freed from the car to enter the house. When located by Omar, the suspect shot Omar. The officer wounded earlier was again wounded by gunfire as he tried to fire a tear gas bomb into the house. Outdoors, Omar, seriously wounded, was found crouched aside Sergeant McCarthy's body. The suspect, 30, was finally apprehended; but his right arm was shattered by rifle fire and had to be amputated. He was judged hopelessly insane, and transferred to the Fairview institution for the criminally insane. Both the wounded officer and Sergeant McCarty's dog, Omar, recovered from their wounds. Sergeant McCarthy served in the British and U.S Army and was a WWI veteran. He had served with the Pennsylvania State Police for

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-512F5177
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 Timothy. 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.
Sergeant McCarthy gave the Pennsylvania State Police 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location Harrisburg, PA
Platform Identity pasp.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 12, 1931
Tour of Duty 11 yrs 8 mo
Age 42
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Imprisoned in a mental hospital

Military Service

Timothy George McCarthy served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant Timothy George McCarthy 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Pennsylvania State Police, 34 of 87 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 39.1% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania State Police
34
of 87 officers
39.1% Felonious
PA — Statewide
597
of 1,261 officers
47.3% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Timothy George McCarthy's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Timothy George McCarthy Compares

Age at End of Watch
42
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
11.7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Imprisoned in a mental hospital

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Timothy George McCarthy is highlighted in May.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Timothy George McCarthy was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location