Thomas Redden
Agency patch
Patrolman

Thomas Redden

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch May 17, 1886
Age 50
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Badge 621
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Thomas Redden succumbed to injuries received two weeks earlier. Patrolman Redden was one of many officers detailed to disperse protesters near Haymarket Square on May 4, 1886. Suddenly, a bomb exploded and a gun battle ensued. Patrolman Redden suffered several gunshot wounds during the gun battle, as well as serious injuries from the bomb blast. Patrolman Redden was the sixth of eight officers to die in this incident. Patrolman Redden had served with the Chicago Police Department for 12 years and was assigned to the 3rd Precinct. He was survived by his wife and two children. Eight men were arrested and charged with the officer's murders. Seven were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The other one was sentenced to 15 years. On November 11, 1887, four of them were executed by hanging. The day before one of the suspects killed himself in his cell with a smuggled dynamite cap which he detonated in his mouth. The other three were pardoned by Governor Altgeld in 1893. Patrolman Redden was born at sea during a voyage with his family from England to America in 1836. He was survived by his wife and two children. Eight police officers were killed during the Haymarket Riot labor dispute. The officers were at the scene of a civil disorder when the rioters opened fire and threw a bomb into the crowd. Eight police officers suffered fatal wounds and 70 other people were injured by the gunfire and explosion. The officers who were killed included Patrolman Mathias Degan, Patrolman John Barrett, Patrolman George Miller, Patrolman Timothy Flavin, Patrolman Thomas Redden, Patrolman Nels Hansen and Patrolman Michael Sheehan. Patrolman Timothy Sullivan succumbed to his wounds two years later, on June 13, 1888.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

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Tributes

140 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Redden gave the Chicago Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 17, 1886
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 50
Badge Number 621
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 1886, 51 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 139th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 50. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Thomas 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

May 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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Thomas Redden

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch May 17, 1886

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 59-E

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