Walter Major
Agency patch
Sergeant

Walter Major

Albany Police Department — Albany, NY
Accident
End of Watch August 16, 1921
Age 44
The Vigil Panel 41 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Walter Major was accidentally shot and killed as he and another detective attempted to unload a semi-automatic pistol at the 2nd Precinct station house.

The handgun discharged and struck Sergeant Major in the head, killing him.

Sgt. Major, On today, the 100th anniversary of your death I would just like to say thank you for your service and sacrifice for the citizens of Albany.

R.I.P. USBP

Anonymous United States Border Patrol August 16th, 2021

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-B375DA9A
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 Major served with the Albany Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Albany community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Major.

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

Agency

Location Albany, NY
Platform Identity apd.albany.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 16, 1921
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Sergeant Walter Major 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 NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Albany Police Department, 4 of 12 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Albany Police Department
4
of 12 officers
33.3% Accident
NY — Statewide
645
of 2,147 officers
30% 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. Walter Major'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 Walter Major Compares

Age at End of Watch
44
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Major is highlighted in Aug.

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