Carter Lee Wells
Agency patch
Police Officer

Carter Lee Wells

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch May 23, 1969
Age 35
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Badge 2510
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Carter Wells was shot and killed with his own service weapon while making a traffic stop at E. Jefferson Ave. and Walker Street. During the traffic stop, he was leaning into the patrol car when the suspect grabbed his service weapon and shot him. The subject fled the scene but was apprehended following a pursuit. The man was convicted of Officer Wells' murder and sentenced to life in prison but was paroled after serving only 13 years. Officer Wells served with the Detroit Police Department for 13 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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. Army. One record, 2 gates. Carter is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Wells gave the Detroit Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Wells.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 23, 1969
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Age 35
Badge Number 2510
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Carter Lee Wells served in the U.S. Army (1953–1955) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Carter 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.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1969, 124 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 40th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Carter was 35. 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. Carter had served 13 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Carter among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Carter Lee Wells

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch May 23, 1969

Military Service

Carter Lee Wells served in the U.S. Army (1953–1955) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Carter Lee Wells’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-E

Also Remembered

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