Phillip Pitts
Officer

Phillip Pitts

Saugus Police Dept. — Saugus, MA
Felonious
End of Watch January 26, 1889
Age 41
The Vigil Panel 9 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Phillip Pitts succumbed a gunshot wound sustained two days earlier when he interrupted a burglary at the Boston and Maine Railroad depot in the Cliftondale section of the city.

He was shot in the throat and suffered a fatal wound. He was taken to a local hospital where he died two days later.

Officer Pitts was survived by his wife and two children.

Survivors

Officer Pitts was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-AB0AF1AB
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

137 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Pitts served with the Saugus Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Saugus community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Saugus Police Dept.
Location Saugus, MA
Platform Identity saugpd.essex.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 26, 1889
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Officer Phillip Pitts 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 Saugus Police Dept., 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Saugus Police Dept.
4
of 4 officers
100% Felonious
MA — Statewide
199
of 469 officers
42.4% 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. Phillip Pitts'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 Phillip Pitts Compares

Age at End of Watch
41
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Phillip Pitts 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. Phillip Pitts was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location