Joseph L. O'Neil

Buffalo Police Department — Buffalo, NY

Felonious

End of Watch October 7, 1970

Age 56

Tour of Duty 26 yrs

Badge 999

The Vigil Panel 107 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 50

Incident

Patrolman Joseph O'Neil was shot and killed while transporting a prisoner to Meyer Memorial Hospital. The subject had walked into the Precinct 3 station house earlier in the day and was charged under the state's mental hygiene law to be admitted to a hospital. As Patrolman O'Neil and two other officers approached the emergency room door the man grabbed one of the officers' service revolvers from its holster and began running. He then turned and opened fire, fatally wounding Patrolman O'Neil. One of the other officers returned fire and killed the subject. Patrolman O'Neil had served with the Buffalo Police Department for 26 years and was assigned to Precinct 3.

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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

26 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman O'Neil gave the Buffalo Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman O'Neil.

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

Agency

Department Buffalo Police Department

Location Buffalo, NY

Platform Identity bpd.erie.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 7, 1970

Tour of Duty 26 yrs

Age 56

Badge Number 999

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Patrolman Joseph L. O'Neil 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 Buffalo Police Department, 22 of 51 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.1% of this agency's fallen.

Buffalo Police Department

of 51 officers

43.1% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious