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Police Officer

Daniel G. Ellis

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 3, 1971

Age 29

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Badge 890

The Vigil Panel 237 · Column 1 · Line 11 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 249

Incident

Officer Daniel Ellis was shot and killed near Mother Charleszetta Waddles Perpetual Mission at 3700 Gratiot while attempting to protect citizens from a mentally deranged person with a firearm. Officer Ellis pushed his partner out of the line of fire moments before the gunman shot but withheld return fire for fear of striking a mother and child standing just behind the gunman. He was struck several times and died en route to the hospital. The suspect, 51, was taken into custody a short time later. He had 14 previous convictions, including one for manslaughter in 1956 for beating his wife to death. He was acquitted of Officer Ellis' slaying by reason of insanity. In 1975 his application for release was denied. Officer Ellis was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Detroit Police Department for 7 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Daniel is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Ellis gave the Detroit Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Detroit Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI

Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 3, 1971

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 29

Badge Number 890

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Daniel G. Ellis served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Daniel is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1971, 168 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 18th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Daniel was 29. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Daniel had served 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded