George L. Hanna

Massachusetts State Police — Framingham, MA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch February 26, 1983

Age 36

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

The Vigil Panel 126 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 37

Incident

Trooper George Hanna was shot and killed while searching three subjects during a traffic stop near the intersection of Route 12 and Route 20 in Auburn, Massachusetts. Unbeknownst to Trooper Hanna, the three men had been searching for a local business to rob. As he found a weapon on the first man, the second man pulled out a .22 caliber handgun and shot Trooper Hanna. All three subjects, 33, 33, and 20, were arrested and sentenced to life in prison with no parole. Trooper Hanna was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Massachusetts State Police for nine years assigned to C Troop. He was survived by his wife and three children. The George Hanna Award was named in honor of Trooper Hanna and is the highest medal a Massachusetts law enforcement officer can receive. Route 12 and 20 in Auburn was named in his honor. A portion of I-290 in Worcester and a bridge in Natick are also named in his honor.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-6970DD46
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 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.
Trooper Hanna gave the Massachusetts State Police 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Massachusetts, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Massachusetts State Police

Location Framingham, MA

Platform Identity masp.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 26, 1983

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .22 caliber

Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

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

Trooper George L. Hanna 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Massachusetts State Police, 7 of 38 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 18.4% of this agency's fallen.

Massachusetts State Police

of 38 officers

18.4% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious