George M. Mitchell

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch December 31, 1949

Age 39

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Badge 3184

The Vigil Panel 86 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 377

Incident

Police Officer George Mitchell succumbed to a gunshot wound when he was shot by two robbers while he and another officer were on stakeout duty in a grocery store at Gratz and Berks streets. At 6:00 p.m. on December 30, 1949, two men entered the store and robbed a cashier of $70.00. When Officer Mitchell arrived one of the subjects pulled out a gun and shot Officer Mitchell. The other officer chased the subjects, but they evaded capture. Officer Mitchell was transported to the Homeopathic Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds the next day. Five weeks later, two men, 24 and 33, arrested a week earlier for another crime, confessed to the robbery. The younger said he shot Officer Mitchell and was also identified by the cashier. The older suspect was sentenced to life and the younger to death. In 1955, his sentence was commuted to life. Officer Mitchell was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII and served with the Philadelphia Police Department for four years. He was the father of two small children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-34786BB3
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.
Police Officer Mitchell gave the Philadelphia Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Police Department

Location Philadelphia, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 31, 1949

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 39

Badge Number 3184

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced commuted to life

Military Service

George M. Mitchell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer George M. Mitchell 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

162

of 378 officers

42.9% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious