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William Wetherspoon Gemmell
Agency patch
Special Officer

William Wetherspoon Gemmell

Pawtucket Police Department — Pawtucket, RI
Felonious
United States flag Rhode Island flag
End of Watch June 22, 1908
Age 24
The Vigil Panel 22 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Special Officer William Gemmell succumbed to a gunshot wound three days earlier while attempting to settle a dispute between two men after being summoned to the scene.

Upon displaying his badge one of the men drew a handgun and shot him in the neck.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-RI-959A37BC
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Officer Gemmell served with the Pawtucket Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Pawtucket community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Gemmell.

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

Agency

Department Pawtucket Police Department
Type Other
Location Pawtucket, Providence County, RI
Platform Identity pawtpd.providence.ri.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 22, 1908
Age 24
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

Special Officer William Wetherspoon Gemmell is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,787 officers honored here.

In RI, 25 of 55 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 45.5% of this state's fallen. That is 45.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Pawtucket Police Department, 4 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this agency's fallen.

Pawtucket Police Department
4
of 7 officers
57.1% Felonious
RI — Statewide
25
of 55 officers
45.5% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,787 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Wetherspoon Gemmell's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How William Wetherspoon Gemmell Compares

Age at Death
24
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Wetherspoon Gemmell is highlighted in Jun.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Wetherspoon Gemmell was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Where the Name Is Cut