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Victor Woodhead
Agency patch
Detective

Victor Woodhead

Rochester Police Department — Rochester, NY
Felonious
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch November 17, 1932
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
The Vigil Panel 144 · Column 3 · Line 2 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 16

Incident

Detective Victor Woodhead was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect wanted for robbing the Rochester Chamber of Commerce. He and another detective, along with two employees of the Chamber of Commerce, had been waiting in a hotel to positively identify the suspect. When the suspect came down from his room the detectives started to follow him. The suspect walked to a garage on Stillson Street and got into a car. Detective Woodhead attempted to talk to him but the man suddenly exited the car and opened fire, mortally wounding him. The man was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. On March 1st, 1952, his sentence was commuted to 35 years to life with eligibility for parole in 1958.

Survivors

Detective Woodhead was survived by his wife, daughter, two brothers, and sister.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Woodhead gave the Rochester Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Rochester community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Woodhead.

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

Agency

Department Rochester Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Rochester, Monroe County, NY
Platform Identity rpd.monroe.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 17, 1932
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Victor 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.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1932, 210 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 8th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Victor had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Rochester Police Department has 17 officers remembered here, Victor among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Victor Woodhead

Rochester Police Department · End of Watch November 17, 1932

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 8-W

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