Biographical Info
   Age: Not available
   Tour of Duty: Not available
   Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
   Cause of Death: Bomb
   Date of Incident: Tuesday, May 4, 1886
   Weapon Used: Explosives; Bomb
   Suspect Info: Not available

Officer Mathias J. Degan was with other officers assigned to disperse crowds near Haymarket Square. A bomb was thrown and exploded amidst officers. Officer Degan was struck by shrapnel. Officer Degan was the first of eight officers to die in what is known as the Haymarket Tragedy.

Seven police officers were killed when a bomb exploded on a busy city street during the Haymarket Riot labor dispute. The officers were at the scene of a civil disorder when the rioters threw the bomb into the crowd, killing the seven officers and wounding 70 others people. The officers who were killed included Patrolmen Mathias Degan, Patrolman John Barrett, Patrolman George Miller, Patrolman Timothy Flavin, Patrolman Thomas Redden, Patrolman Nels Hansen and Patrolman Michael Sheehan.