Bel Air Police Department, Maryland
End of Watch: Tuesday, June 29, 1920
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Explosion
Date of Incident: June 26, 1920
Weapon Used: Explosives
Suspect Info: Not available
Officer George Noonan died form injuries sustained four days earlier while attempting to arrest a subject who had been causing a disturbance in the business section of town in the days leading up to the Fourth of July.
For several days, a group of men had been lighting off fireworks and throwing them at women and horses. Officer Noonan confiscated the fireworks from several of the men and placed them in his pocket. One of them refused to cooperate and started struggling with him. Officer Noonan was either thrown to the ground or tripped with such force that the fireworks in his pocket exploded, throwing him two feet off of the ground and causing a serious injury.
He was taken to a hospital in Baltimore where he underwent surgery before passing away.
Officer Noonan had served with the Bel Air Police Department for several years. He was survived by his wife.