Thomas Lynch
Agency patch
Sergeant

Thomas Lynch

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Accident
End of Watch November 23, 1927
Age 43
The Vigil Panel 54 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Thomas Lynch was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow officer during a high-speed chase of several gangsters.

The squad car skidded on a sharp turn at the intersection of Lake Street and Hamlin Avenue, causing the officer to accidentally discharge his revolver. The bullet struck Sergeant Lynch in the head.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-7E0830D1
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.
Sergeant Lynch served with the Chicago Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Lynch.

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

Agency

Location Chicago, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 23, 1927
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Sergeant Thomas Lynch is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 4.1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Chicago Police Department, 107 of 571 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 18.7% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department
107
of 571 officers
18.7% Accident
IL — Statewide
354
of 1,318 officers
26.9% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Lynch'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 Lynch Compares

Age at End of Watch
43
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Lynch is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location