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Thomas M. O'Neill
Agency patch
Senior Investigator

Thomas M. O'Neill

New York State Police — Albany, NY
Cardiac
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch July 6, 2005
Age 56
Tour of Duty 33 yrs
The Vigil Panel 153 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 170

Incident

Investigator Thomas O'Neill suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after a struggle with a suspect.

Investigator O'Neill was on duty and had stopped his department Vehicle at a Mobil Gas Station on Wicks Road in Islip. While at the station, the station attendant asked Investigator O'Neill to remove a disorderly man from the station who was refusing to leave. A struggle ensued, and Investigator O'Neill was able to get the suspect handcuffed. He then called for an additional unit to transport the suspect.

Two troopers transported the suspect back to the Brentwood Station, and a third trooper accompanied Investigator O'Neill in his vehicle. While en route, Investigator O'Neill complained of chest pains and asked the other trooper to drive. When they arrived at the Brentwood station, Investigator O'Neill collapsed. He was helped up by other troopers but collapsed again as an ambulance arrived. Efforts to revive him with CPR were unsuccessful. Investigator O'Neill died while en route to the Hospital.

Investigator O'Neill had served with the New York State Police for 33 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two stepsons, two grandchildren, a brother, and two sisters.

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

33 years. You could have gone home.
Senior Investigator O'Neill gave the New York State Police 33 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the people of New York. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Senior Investigator O'Neill.

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

Agency

Department New York State Police
Type State Police
Location Albany, Albany County, NY
Platform Identity nysp.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 6, 2005
Tour of Duty 33 yrs
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

Thomas is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% 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 2005, 21 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 7th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 56. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Thomas had served 33 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

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

When

July holds 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York State Police has at least 120 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Senior Investigator Thomas M. O'Neill

New York State Police · End of Watch July 6, 2005

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 55-W

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