Detective

William F. Christman

Felonious
End of Watch October 8, 1956
Age 38
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Badge 951
The Vigil Panel 92 ›
Gender Male

Incident

William F. Christman was a detective second grade with the 75th Squad in Brooklyn, carrying shield 951, and had served thirteen years.

At about one in the morning of 8 October 1956, after finishing six hours of overtime at the Bedford Avenue station house, he stopped off duty at a bar on Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park, Queens. A talk about the World Series with a 25-year-old man named Robert Thomson turned into a fight, which the bartender broke up. Thomson went home and came back with a shotgun as the detective reached his car beside the subway stairs. The argument flared again, and Thomson shot him in the chest and went home to bed. A passing motorist found Detective Christman lying in the street.

He was 38. He and his wife lived in Ozone Park and had five children. Thomson was ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation.

Survivors

Detective Christman was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Christman gave the New York City Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Christman.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 8, 1956
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Age 38
Badge Number 951
Gender Male
Assignment 75 Squad

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William 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 1956, 47 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 141st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 38. 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. William had served 13 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective William F. Christman

New York City Police Department · End of Watch October 8, 1956

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 43-E

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