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Police Officer

Matthew Edmond Bowens

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI

Felonious

End of Watch February 16, 2004

Age 21

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 151 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 249

Incident

Officer Matthew Bowens and Officer Jennifer Fettig were shot and killed while making a traffic stop on Gilbert Avenue at 2 am.

As the two officers called in the license plate information of the vehicle, while sitting in their patrol car, the suspect exited his vehicle and opened fire with a .40 caliber handgun, striking Officer Fettig five times and Officer Bowens three times. The shooter then went out of view as Officer Bowens exited the patrol car, returned fire three times, and then went to help Officer Fettig as he called assistance.

The shooter reappeared and shot Officer Bowens six more times before stealing his service weapon. The shooter fired a total of 19 rounds at the officers during the incident.

The killer fled in his pickup truck, but a portion of the shooting was recorded in the patrol car's camera. The killer and his brother were arrested several hours later. The killer was found guilty on four charges of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison, where he died on October 15, 2010.

Both officers were transported to Henry Ford Hospital where Officer Bowens was pronounced dead. Officer Fettig was admitted in extremely critical condition and died from her wounds 12 hours later.

Officer Bowens had served with the Detroit Police Department for 3 years and was assigned to the 4th Precinct.

Survivors

He is survived by his father and two brothers.

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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Bowens gave the Detroit Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Bowens.

— 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 16, 2004

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 21

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; .40 caliber

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Matthew is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 2004, 79 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 86th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Matthew was 21. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Matthew had served 3 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%. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun; .40 caliber, in 0.2% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded