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Thomas J. O'Neill
Police Officer

Thomas J. O'Neill

Baltimore Police Department — Baltimore, MD
Illness
United States flag Maryland flag
End of Watch October 16, 1949
Age 50
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
The Vigil Panel 86 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 150

Incident

Police Officer Thomas O'Neill suffered a fatal hemorrhage after conducting a motorcycle escort for a medical emergency at 10:00 pm. During the escort, Officer O'Neill's motorcycle stalled at an intersection and he tried for several minutes to get it restarted using the kick-starter. He was able to get it started and joined the ambulance and other motorcycle officers at Sydenham Hospital. Several minutes later Officer O'Neill collapsed.

A nearby doctor immediately attended to the officer and determined his condition was so bad that he needed to be transported to Mercy Hospital. Doctors at Mercy Hospital attended to Officer O'Neill for several hours, but he died as a result of the hemorrhage at approximately 6:45 am the following morning.

A medical investigation determined that the hemorrhage was a result of the stress of the transport, combined with attempting to restart his motorcycle and a previous on-duty motorcycle accident several weeks prior.

Officer O'Neill had served with the Baltimore Police Department for 21 years and was assigned to the Traffic Division. He was survived by his wife, three children, sister, and four brothers. His identical twin brother also served with the agency.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three children, sister, and four brothers.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

21 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer O'Neill gave the Baltimore City Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer O'Neill.

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

Agency

Department Baltimore Police Department
Type Other
Location Baltimore, MD
Platform Identity baltpd.baltimore.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 16, 1949
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail Duty related illness

The Sacrifice · Illness

Thomas is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1949, 2 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 46th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 50. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Thomas had served 21 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

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

When

October holds 14.9% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Sundays: 14.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Baltimore Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Thomas J. O'Neill

Baltimore Police Department · End of Watch October 16, 1949

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 14-W

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