Abington Township Police Department, Pennsylvania
End of Watch: Monday, August 8, 1904
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: August 8, 1904
Weapon Used: Shotgun
Suspect Info: Charges dismissed
Constable Daniel O'Brien was shot and killed when he interrupted somebody attempting to steal chickens from the chicken coup in his backyard on Susquehanna Road.
He was awoken at approximately 1:00 am by noises in the backyard of his home, across the street from Hillside Cemetery. As he and his father went to investigate they exchanged shots with at least one subject inside the chicken coup. Constable O'Brien was fatally struck in the chest by a blast from a shotgun and his father was wounded.
The subjects fled the scene. Two men were arrested several days later but charges were later dismissed when prosecutors determined they could not secure a conviction. One of the subjects was then convicted of multiple counts of larceny for similar thefts of chickens. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison.
At the time of his murder, investigators believed that Constable O'Brien was targeted and ambushed due to enforcement efforts he took against local thieves.
Constable O'Brien had served as a constable for Abington Township for two years. He was survived by his parents.