Thomas P. McAvoy

Albany Police Department — Albany, NY

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch January 28, 1964

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 99 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Sergeant Thomas McAvoy was shot and killed after responding to a push-in robbery at 157 Manning Boulevard in Albany. When Sergeant McAvoy arrived, a citizen informed him that a man was inside the house with a shotgun, and a woman and children were being held hostage. Sergeant McAvoy left his revolver holstered and entered the house with only a flashlight in hand so as not to endanger the children. When Sergeant McAvoy entered the house, the suspect grabbed him, sat him in a kitchen chair in front of the kids, and shot him in the chest with a shotgun. The suspect then kicked Sgt. McAvoy stole the officer's badge, identification, and revolver, shot the officer again in the chest, and then picked up both spent shotgun shells. A backup officer arrived, and the kids motioned with their heads for the backup officer not to enter the house. As the backup summoned assistance from the police radio in his unit, the suspect escaped through the rear yards to his car parked at State Street and North Pine Street. The ensuing massive manhunt failed to capture the suspect. The suspect's car struck a truck in Chicago in February of 1964, and he was brought to the hospital and subsequently arrested by the FBI for the murder of Sergeant McAvoy. A search of the suspect's car revealed Sergeant McAvoy's revolver beneath the driver's seat. The suspect was a convicted felon who had served the minimum sentence for 2nd-degree murder. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison, where he died. Sergeant McAvoy was a United States Navy Reserve WWII veteran and had served with the Albany Police Department for 15 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-5F67B4BF
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.
Sergeant McAvoy gave the Albany Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Albany community, 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 Albany Police Department

Location Albany, NY

Platform Identity apd.albany.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 28, 1964

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Life in prison

Military Service

Thomas P. McAvoy served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant Thomas P. McAvoy 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 NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Albany Police Department, 6 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Albany Police Department

of 12 officers

50% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious