Ward Lee Canfield
Agency patch
Patrolman

Ward Lee Canfield

Minneapolis Police Department — Minneapolis, MN
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch March 2, 2000
Age 78
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Canfield and his partner had stopped three suspects who were driving a stolen vehicle and were also wanted for robbery and kidnapping. Patrolman Canfield was shot and run over by the suspects’ vehicle and dragged nearly 30 feet. He died 42 years later from his injuries. The County Medical Examiner listed the cause of death as “Homicide . . . Multiple complications of gunshot wound and blunt force injuries (42 year interval).” His partner, Officer Robert Fossum, was shot in the head and died at the scene.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
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Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
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.
Patrolman Canfield gave the Minneapolis Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Minneapolis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Canfield.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN
Platform Identity mpd.hennepin.mn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 2, 2000
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 78
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Military Service

Ward Lee Canfield served in the U.S. Army (1942–1945) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Ward 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 2000, 71 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 100th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ward was 78. 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. Ward had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

March holds 7.5% 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.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Minneapolis Police Department has 50 officers remembered here, Ward among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Ward Lee Canfield

Minneapolis Police Department · End of Watch March 2, 2000

Military Service

Ward Lee Canfield served in the U.S. Army (1942–1945) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Ward Lee Canfield’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 56-W

Also Remembered

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