Peter F. McElligott
Agency patch
Police Officer

Peter F. McElligott

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA
Felonious
End of Watch June 19, 1968
Age 25
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 104 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Peter McElligott was shot and killed in a gun battle with two robbery suspects in Golden Gate Park. Officer McElligott and his partner spotted the suspects, who were wanted for two gas station robberies, in their car. The suspects, upon seeing the officers, made a U-turn and sped off with Officer McElligott and his partner in pursuit. When the suspect’s vehicle stopped the officers approached it and both suspects opened fire. Officer McElligott was killed instantly and his partner was shot several times. Despite the wounds, his partner was able to return fire causing the suspects to crash their car into a tree. Both suspects were arrested shortly after by responding officers. Both were convicted of first-degree murder. One suspect was paroled in 1977 but was sent back to prison in 1979 for a parole violation. The second suspect was paroled in 1987.

Survivors

Officer McElligott was survived by his wife of four months.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
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.
Police Officer McElligott gave the San Francisco Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer McElligott.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Francisco, CA
Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 19, 1968
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 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 1968, 91 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 62nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Peter was 25. 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. Peter had served 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

San Francisco Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, Peter among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Peter F. McElligott

San Francisco Police Department · End of Watch June 19, 1968

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 17-W

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