Officer Thomas Deasy

Thomas Deasy

Officer Thomas Deasy was shot and killed when he attempted to question a suspicious man.

He observed the man step from the Washington Street entrance to Alta Plaza. Officer Deasy called to the suspect "What are you doing?" and the man replied "None of your business." When officer Deasy approached to investigate the man struck him with a cane he was carrying.

Officer Deasy reached for his gun, but before he could draw the man shot from his hip through his overcoat. The man then drew the revolver from his pocket and fired again, striking Officer Deasy in the neck. Before he died Officer Deasy was able to relay a description of the suspect to responding officers.

It was believed at the time that the same man who murdered Police Officer Robert Gushe, of the Oakland Police Department, on March 4th, 1916, was also responsible for Officer Deasy's murder. The man was sentenced to life at hard labor for Officer Gushe's murder. He died in Folsom Prison on July 21, 1934

Officer Deasy was survived by his wife and son.