Death Classification: Performance of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 4 years, 4 months, 22 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: 17th District - New City
District of Incident (Present Day): 009 - Deering
Cause of Death: Explosion - Accidental
Age at Time of Death: 34
Timeline
Date of Birth: 03 Mar 1894
Date of Appointment: 27 May 1926
Date of Incident: 19 Oct 1930
End of Watch: 19 Oct 1930
Date of Interment: 22 Oct 1930
Interment Details
Cemetery: Holy Sepulchre Cemetery - Alsip, Illinois
Grave Location: Grave 2, Lot 9, Block 12, Section 11
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case:
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 18
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall:
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall:
Officer Down Memorial Page: Not Listed
Service
Military Service: U.S. Army
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman Peter Joseph Connolly, Star #742, aged 34 years, was a 4 year, 4 month, 22 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 17th District – New City.
On October 19, 1930, Officer Connolly was on duty working the midnight shift. He stepped into a restaurant located at 1545 West 47th Street and placed an order. After being served coffee he was asked by the waiter to look at a hot water boiler which was not operating properly. Officer Connolly was reading the instructions on the wall when the boiler exploded without warning. Officer Connolly sustained severe burns in the explosion. He was transported to Southwest Hospital where he was pronounced dead the next day on October 20, 1930.
Officer Connolly was laid to rest on October 22, 1930 in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 6001 West 111th Street, Alsip, Illinois. His grave is located in Grave 2, Lot 9, Block 12, Section 11.
Patrolman Peter Joseph Connolly, March 3, 1894, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on May 27, 1926.
Officer Connolly served in the U.S. Army from May 27, 1918 thru July 23, 1919 in Company A, 131st Engineers, was a veteran of World War I and was Honorably Discharged at the rank of Private. He was survived by his wife, Nellie (nee O’Connell), age 36 and son, Eugene P., age 9.