Thomas Finnelly

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA

Felonious

End of Watch November 27, 1911

The Vigil Panel 26 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Officers Thomas Finnelly and Charles Castor were shot and killed when they attempted to arrest a man who was wanted for murder in Veley, Greece. The officers were informed by an informant that the suspect would be arriving in San Francisco on that day at the Ferry Building. When the officers attempted to arrest the suspect, the suspect shot them both. The suspect also shot and wounded the informant, who pointed him out to the police. The suspect was captured at the scene, tried, and hanged on March 14, 1913. A relative of the suspect killed the informant and was later arrested. Officer Finnelly was survived by his wife and three children. He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California.

Survivors

Officer Finnelly was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-F583F196
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 Finnelly 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 Finnelly.

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

Agency

Department San Francisco Police Department

Location San Francisco, CA

Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 27, 1911

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Sentenced to death

Officer Thomas Finnelly 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

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