Case Number: 8703
Norton, Patrick F. - Age 26 - Fatally shot 8:03 PM, 12/31/25 by Patrolman James O'Toole, while in the act of holding up a storekeeper at 713 W. 47th St. and after he had fired at O'Toole. On 1/2/26 the officer was exonerated by the Coroner. 12th Dist.
Circumstances
| Date of Offense | December 31, 1925 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death | January 1, 1926 |
| Time Between Offense and Death | Within 1 day |
| Address | 713 W. 47th St. |
| Type of Location | Place of business |
| Location Description | store |
| Type of Death | Manslaughter |
| Description | Robbery |
| Total Number of Victims | 1 |
| Location | store |
| Type of Business | Other place of business |
| Type of Manslaughter | Unintentional killing with gun |
Victim
| Name | Norton, Patrick |
|---|---|
| Age | 26 years |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | White |
| Employed | Yes |
| VictimEmploymentType | Outside labor force (incl. criminals) |
| Ethnicity | English-Anglo |
| Occupation/ Skill | Criminal - thief |
Defendant
| Name | O'Toole, James |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Ethnicity | Irish |
| Race | White |
| Employed | Yes |
| Employment Type | Employed, professional (incl. police and military) |
| Killed While Protecting Person | Protecting self |
| Killed While Protecting Property | Protecting other property |
| Occupation/ Skill | Law Enforcement, Police |
Police
| Precinct | 12 |
|---|---|
| Allegations of Police Corruption | No |
| Defendant Identified at Scene | No |
Legal
| Date of Coroner's Decision | January 2, 1926 |
|---|---|
| Outcome of Coroner's Judgment | Exonerated, Commended |
| Charges Against Defendant | No |
| Type of Legal Decision Recorded | Coroner's verdict only |
| Allegations of Police Corruption | No |
