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Patrolman

Thomas Freeborn

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police — Pittsburgh, PA
Felonious
United States flag Pennsylvania flag
End of Watch April 10, 1894
Age 48
The Vigil Panel 12 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 100

Incident

Patrolman Thomas Freeborn succumbed to a head injury suffered seven years earlier by a prisoner who was trying to escape inside the Central Police Station on Diamond Street.

The subject had been arrested by officers the previous day while trying to pawn three gold watches and could not identify himself. While being locked up the identity of the subject was discovered and the three gold watches were identified by a jeweler in Philadelphia as being stolen during a robbery. Patrolman Freeborn, who was acting as a turnkey for the day, was moving the prisoner for the arrival of a Philadelphia police officer in order to transfer custody of him. The subject struck Patrolman Freeborn with an iron-bar as he made an escape, causing a serious wound.

The subject was convicted of the assault on Patrolman Freeborn in April 1887 and sentenced to the Western Penetenirty in Pittsburgh for four years. Once the sentence was carried out the subject was taken to Harrisburg and sentenced to 11 years in Eastern Penitentiary in Philadelphia for the robbery.

Patrolman Freeborn's death was ruled a homicide by a coroner's jury.

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August 2, 2026

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Tributes

132 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Freeborn served with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
Type Federal Agency
Location Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA
Platform Identity pittpd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 10, 1894
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Assault
Weapon Blunt object; Iron pipe

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Thomas 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1894, 70 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 103rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 48. 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

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 blunt object; iron pipe, in 0.1% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has 101 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Thomas Freeborn

Pittsburgh Bureau of Police · End of Watch April 10, 1894

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 61-W

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