Roll of Honor
Incident
Sheriff Welfelt succumbed to an accidental gunshot wound received almost two months earlier while attempting to arrest a murder suspect. The Sheriff had borrowed a pistol to make the arrest and didn't realize that the trigger spring had been modified for only a slight trigger pull. As he drew his weapon the pistol discharged and the round struck him in the upper thigh, exiting out near his knee. Sheriff Welfelt completed the arrest and the suspect was sentenced to life for the original murder. Sheriff Welfelt had lost his re-election bid prior to the shooting. He succumbed to his wound after he was out of office.
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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.
Sheriff Welfelt served with the Cowley County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Winfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sheriff Welfelt.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sheriff A. D. Welfelt is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In KS, 66 of 335 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 19.7% of this state's fallen. That is 19.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Cowley County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 3 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. A. D. Welfelt's cause is highlighted.
How A. D. Welfelt Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. A. D. Welfelt is highlighted in Jan.
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Cowley County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
