San Francisco Police Department, California
End of Watch: Friday, December 17, 1886
Age: 52
Tour of Duty: 8 years
Badge Number: 169
Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: December 13, 1886
Weapon Used: Edged weapon; Knife
Suspect Info: Never identified
Officer Edwin Osgood was fatally stabbed by a suspect that approached him to report a larceny.
While patrolling his beat, Officer Osgood was approached by a man at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Dupont Avenue (modern day Grant Avenue) at approximately 3:15 am. The man reported that his watch had been taken from him at a low den and he wanted Officer Osgood's assistance in retrieving it. Officer Osgood explained to the man that making a search for such a small article would be useless at that hour and referred the man to the chief's office where he could make a report in the morning.
The man left and crossed the street, but returned a few moments later and suddenly stabbed Officer Osgood in neck and fled.
Officer Osgood tried to sound his whistle, but because of his wound, he was unable to. A passing citizen sounded the whistle, alerting other officers who responded and removed Officer Osgood to the hospital. He succumbed to his wounds four days later.
The subject who stabbed him was never identified.
Officer Osgood had served with the San Francisco Police Department for eight years. He was survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter, and he is buried at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Fresno, California.
In 1902 Officer Osgood's photograph was installed at the San Francisco Police Headquarters, along with four other officers killed in the line of duty, where it was displayed until the California earthquake of 1906 when all of the portraits were lost.