Thomas Deasy
Agency patch
Officer

Thomas Deasy

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA
Felonious
End of Watch January 8, 1916
Age 39
The Vigil Panel 30 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Thomas Deasy was shot and killed when he attempted to question a suspicious man. He observed the man step from the Washington Street entrance to Alta Plaza. Officer Deasy called to the suspect "What are you doing?" and the man replied "None of your business." When officer Deasy approached to investigate the man struck him with a cane he was carrying. Officer Deasy reached for his gun, but before he could draw the man shot from his hip through his overcoat. The man then drew the revolver from his pocket and fired again, striking Officer Deasy in the neck. Before he died Officer Deasy was able to relay a description of the suspect to responding officers. It was believed at the time that the same man who murdered Police Officer Robert Gushe, of the Oakland Police Department, on March 4th, 1916, was also responsible for Officer Deasy's murder. The man was sentenced to life at hard labor for Officer Gushe's murder.

Survivors

He died in Folsom Prison on July 21, 1934 Officer Deasy was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-D0623D10
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.
Officer Deasy served with the San Francisco Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Deasy.

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

Agency

Location San Francisco, CA
Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 8, 1916
Age 39
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun; Revolver
Offender Never identified

Officer Thomas Deasy 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At San Francisco Police Department, 66 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.3% of this agency's fallen.

San Francisco Police Department
66
of 106 officers
62.3% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% 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. Thomas Deasy'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 Thomas Deasy Compares

Age at End of Watch
39
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Never identified

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Deasy is highlighted in Jan.

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. Thomas Deasy was killed by handgun; revolver.

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

Incident Location