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George P. O'Connell
Agency patch
Officer

George P. O'Connell

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA
Felonious
United States flag California flag
End of Watch November 16, 1906
Age 55
The Vigil Panel 51 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 105

Incident

Officer George O'Connell was shot and killed when three masked suspects tried to rob a saloon he was a patron in at the corner of Sixth and Brannan Streets. On the evening of November 16th, 1906, Officer O'Connell was chatting with friends at the bar in a saloon at the northeast corner of 6th and Brannan streets when the front and side doors were suddenly thrust open by two armed men wearing handkerchief masks. The robbers ordered the patrons to "throw up their hands," but Officer O'Connell drew his own pistol and fired on the man at the front door. Both robbers returned fire, hitting Officer O'Connell and another patron. Officer O'Connell was able to fire at and hit one of the suspects; responding officers found one suspect dead, still wearing his handkerchief mask, a few feet from the front door. The patron was found dead at the scene; Officer O'Connell died two hours later at the hospital. The suspect was identified and Officers were able to find and arrest the second suspect who was found guilty at trial and sentenced to be executed. Before the date of execution his sentence was commuted to a term in prison. He was paroled in April 1921 and died six months later.

Survivors

Officer O'Connell was survived by his siblings and is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma, California.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer O'Connell served with the San Francisco Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer O'Connell.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch November 16, 1906
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

George 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1906, 89 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 69th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

George was 55. 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.

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

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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, George among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer George P. O'Connell

San Francisco Police Department · End of Watch November 16, 1906

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 53-E

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