Jersey City Police Department, New Jersey
End of Watch: Tuesday, August 1, 1916
Age: 28
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Explosion
Date of Incident: July 30, 1916
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Patrolman James Doherty succumbed to injuries sustained two days earlier as a result of a massive explosion on barges carrying munitions at Black Tom Island in Jersey City, New Jersey's, New York Harbor. Parts of New York City and Jersey City were heavily damaged as a result of the explosion.
Police Chief Cornelius Leyden, of the Lehigh Valley Railroad Police, was also killed in the explosion. Several other workers and civilians were killed and hundreds were injured as a result of the explosion.
It is believed that the explosion was a result of German sabotage preceding WWI. As a result, Germany paid reparations to those affected by the explosion from the end of WWII until 1979.
Patrolman Doherty was survived by his wife and two children. He was assigned to the Fifth Precinct.