Bruce Wesley Wilson
Agency patch
Officer

Bruce Wesley Wilson

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch April 26, 1977
Age 27
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Badge 3835
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Bruce Wilson was shot and killed while working an undercover narcotics operation in the 200 block of Elmira Street, SW. He and his partner had made an undercover narcotics purchase of a single pill of Preludin and then arrested the dealer. As his partner placed the man in their patrol car Officer Wilson went to the rear of the home to look for additional pills. He was shot from ambush in the back of the head as he searched through at trash can. A suspect was arrested and charged with his murder a short time later. Officer Wilson had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for five years and was assigned to the Seventh District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

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. Marine Corps, salute.nw. One record, 3 gates. Bruce is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Wilson gave the Metropolitan Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Wilson.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 26, 1977
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 27
Badge Number 3835
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Bruce Wesley Wilson served in the the United States military (1969–1972) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Bruce 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 1977, 128 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 36th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Bruce was 27. 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. Bruce had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Bruce among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Bruce Wesley Wilson

Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch April 26, 1977

Military Service

Bruce Wesley Wilson served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1969–1972) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Bruce Wesley Wilson’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 20-E

Also Remembered

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