Benjamin Benton
Police Officer

Benjamin Benton

Baltimore Police Dept. — Baltimore, MD
Felonious
End of Watch September 22, 1858
Age 45
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 2 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Benjamin Benton was shot and killed as he tried to break up a fight between the suspect and others. The suspect was convicted of murder after Police Officer Robert Rigdon testified in the trial. Officer Rigdon was shot and killed in retaliation for his testimony. Officer Benton had served with the Baltimore City Police Department for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MD-5F6F4409
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

168 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Benton gave the Baltimore City Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Location Baltimore, MD
Platform Identity baltpd.baltimore.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 22, 1858
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type
Offender Executed on April 7, 1859

Police Officer Benjamin Benton is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Baltimore Police Dept., 80 of 151 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this agency's fallen.

Baltimore Police Dept.
80
of 151 officers
53% Felonious
MD — Statewide
195
of 377 officers
51.7% Felonious
Nationwide
17,623
of 32,508 officers
54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Benjamin Benton's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Benjamin Benton Compares

Age at End of Watch
45
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
8
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Executed on April 7, 1859

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Benjamin Benton is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,517
May
1,505
Jun
1,443
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,516
Sep
1,553
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Benjamin Benton was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518