James Worden Fagan
Agency patch
Police Officer

James Worden Fagan

Felonious
End of Watch April 14, 1941
Age 35
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 13
The Vigil Panel 77 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer James Fagan was shot and killed while he and another patrolman were attempting to arrest three convicts who had just murdered Guard John Hartyre of the New York State Department of Corrections during a prison break from Sing Sing Prison. One of the convicts was shot and killed and the other two were arrested. The two who were arrested were convicted of murdering Guard Hartyre, sentenced to death, and both were executed on June 11th, 1942. Neither prisoner was tried for murdering Officer Fagan. Officer Fagan had served with the Ossining Village Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-9F3248A6
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Fagan gave the Ossining Village Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Ossining community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Fagan.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Ossining, Westchester County, NY
Platform Identity opd.westchester.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 14, 1941
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 35
Badge Number 13
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Police Officer James Worden Fagan is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.

In NY, 728 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.9% of this state's fallen. That is 33.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Ossining Village Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Ossining Village Police Department
1
of 2 officers
50% Felonious
NY — Statewide
728
of 2,147 officers
33.9% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,756 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Worden Fagan's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How James Worden Fagan Compares

Age at Death
35
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Worden Fagan is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Worden Fagan was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Ossining Village Police Department are honored on badge.nw.