Brian M. Graft

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department — St. Louis, MO

Felonious

End of Watch May 6, 1969

Age 25

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

The Vigil Panel 105 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 175

Incident

Detective Brian Graft was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a shooting suspect at 1300 North Tenth Street. He and another officer were working an off-duty security job when they heard the shooting call on the radio. The subject shot and wounded a hotel manager and fled. Shortly thereafter, they spotted a man meeting the description enter the lot where they were working, and they went to investigate. As they approached, the man produced a .25 caliber handgun and shot Detective Graft in the chest and his partner in the leg. Both officers returned fire and struck the suspect in the arm, but he fled on foot. A truck driver in the area also tried to apprehend the man but was shot and killed. Responding officers engaged the suspect in another gun battle. The suspect surrendered after shooting another officer. He was charged with first-degree murder. In 1971, he was acquitted of both murders by reason of insanity and committed to the State Hospital. Detective Graft had served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother and grandmother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-5E160FE8
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Graft gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Graft.

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

Agency

Department St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

Location St. Louis, MO

Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 6, 1969

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .25 caliber

Offender Committed

Detective Brian M. Graft 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 112 of 176 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department

112

of 176 officers

63.6% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious