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Detective

Patrick Edward Fitzgerald

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police — Pittsburgh, PA

Felonious

End of Watch April 12, 1901

Age 45

Tour of Duty 24 yrs

The Vigil Panel 42 · Column 3 · Line 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 100

Incident

Detective Patrick Fitzgerald was shot and killed while investigating a robbery and murder of a grocery store owner which had occurred earlier in the morning in the Mount Washington section of the city. He and other detectives identified multiple suspects through informants and went to their boarding house at 32 Fulton Street, Allegheny City (present-day North Side). While at the scene Detective Fitzgerald was shot and killed as he and other officers entered the room. After a brief shootout inside the room, three suspects, two of whom were brothers, were arrested and charged with the murder of the grocer. In June 1901, during the trial, all three suspects were implicated in 27 burglaries that had occurred in Pittsburgh since the beginning of the year. All three suspects were found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in the murder of the grocer. One of the suspects' death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment for his earlier testimony against the brothers during the trial. On January 30th, 1902, shortly before their execution date the two suspects escaped from the Allegheny County Jail with the help of the warden's wife, who had smuggled them hacksaws and guns. The suspects were located by a posse two days later near Butler, Pennsylvania. As the posse closed in on them a shootout ensued and both suspects were shot and killed. During the shootout, both suspects attempted suicide. The warden's wife also attempted suicide but survived and was charged in connection with the escape. Detective Fitzgerald had served with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for 24 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

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Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

24 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Fitzgerald gave the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police 24 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Fitzgerald.

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

Agency

Department Pittsburgh Bureau of Police

Type Federal Agency

Location Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA

Platform Identity pittpd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 12, 1901

Tour of Duty 24 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Patrick is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1901, 90 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 66th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Patrick was 45. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Patrick had served 24 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded