Michael Anthony Ceriale
Agency patch
Police Officer

Michael Anthony Ceriale

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch August 21, 1998
Age 26
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 3 mo
The Vigil Panel 145 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Michael Ceriale succumbed to a gunshot wound he received while undercover conducting narcotics surveillance at 4101 S. Federal Street in Chicago.

During the surveillance, he was spotted by the offenders, who entered a nearby apartment building and informed one of the gang's "security guards," a 16-year-old juvenile. The juvenile exited the building and fired once in his direction from about 60 to 70 yards, striking Officer Ceriale in the abdomen, just below his vest.

The subject who murdered Officer Ceriale was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the murder.

A mounted unit horse was named Mikey C. in his honor in 2003.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute - 1 candle.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Police Officer Ceriale gave the Chicago Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Ceriale.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 21, 1998
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 3 mo
Age 26
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Michael 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.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1998, 78 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 89th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Michael was 26. 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. Michael had served 1.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

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, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Michael among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Michael Anthony Ceriale

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch August 21, 1998

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 24-W

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