Robert E. Walsh
Agency patch
Police Officer

Robert E. Walsh

Felonious
End of Watch January 12, 1981
Age 34
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Badge 29687
The Vigil Panel 123 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Walsh was shot and killed when he attempted to stop a robbery in progress while off-duty. Officer Walsh had just gotten off-duty and stopped at a bar near his home in Queens when three armed, masked men entered the bar and announced a robbery. One suspect, who was holding two guns, pointed one gun at Officer Walsh and the other gun at a friend Officer Walsh had been talking to. Officer Walsh's friend made a movement that distracted the gunman and allowed Officer Walsh to draw his weapon. Officer Walsh identified himself as a Police Officer, but before he could take any further action, he was shot in the shoulder by the suspect. The suspect then yelled to his accomplices, and the suspects began to flee the bar. As he was leaving, the gunman who wounded Officer Walsh walked up to the injured officer and shot him in the head, killing him. The suspect then fled from the bar, with Officer Walsh's friend in pursuit. The suspects fled into a getaway car, driven by a fourth suspect. As they fled, Officer Walsh's friend fired several shots at the suspects but could not stop them. All four suspects, 15, 16, 17, and 23, were apprehended within the next three days. On April 22, 1982, the three oldest were convicted of murder and robbery. The suspect that fired the shots that killed Officer Walsh was 16-years-old. He was sentenced to 25 years to life. He was paroled in 2020. The 17-year-old was sentenced to 21 years to life. He was paroled in 2019. The oldest was sentenced to 18 years to life. On August 23, 1988, he was granted a new trial. The 15-year-old suspect pleaded guilty as a juvenile offender in Family Court and was sentenced to 10 years. Officer Walsh had served with the New York City Police Department for 12 years and was assigned to the 7the Precinct in Manhattan.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three 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.
Police Officer Walsh gave the New York City Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Walsh.

— 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 January 12, 1981
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 34
Badge Number 29687
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert 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 1981, 126 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 39th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 34. 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. Robert had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January holds 8% 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Robert E. Walsh

New York City Police Department · End of Watch January 12, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 27-E

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