Patrolman

Thomas Lyons

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police — Pittsburgh, PA
Felonious
End of Watch July 16, 1878
Age 23
Tour of Duty 5 mo
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Thomas Lyons succumbed to injuries sustained on July 3rd, 1878, while attempting to arrest a disorderly man near the Sharpsburg Bridge.

He was walking his beat along Butler Street, between 50th Street and the bridge, when he encountered the man. He placed the man under arrest and had begun to walk him to the station house when the man headbutted him.

Patrolman Lyons was immediately taken to St. Francis Hospital where his condition continued to worsen until he died on July 16th, 1878.

Patrolman Lyons had only served with the Pittsburgh Police Department for five months.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

148 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Lyons served with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA
Platform Identity pittpd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 16, 1878
Tour of Duty 5 mo
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Assault
Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1878, 51 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 139th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 23. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Thomas had served 0.4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has 101 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Thomas Lyons

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police · End of Watch July 16, 1878

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 61-E

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