Daniel O'Connell

Saint Paul Police Department — Saint Paul, MN

Felonious

End of Watch June 17, 1882

Age 33

Tour of Duty 1 mo

The Vigil Panel 7 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 32

Incident

Officer Daniel O'Connell was shot and killed while investigating a burglary while off duty at 0230 hours. He had been informed by a woman that two suspicious men were near a home on Dayton Avenue. Officer O'Connell was shot with a .32 caliber handgun while investigating the men. His body was found at approximately 0800 hours. On October 23, 1883 two suspects were pardoned from Chester Illinios State Prison in order that they could be taken back to Minnesota to stand trial for the murder of Officer O'Connell. They had been developed as suspects by St. Paul Police Department detective John Bresset through one of his informants . The mayor of St. Paul and the Ramsey County Attorney got the Governor of Illinois to pardon them from prior burglary convictions in Illinois in order for them to be brought back to St Paul. On Oct 24, 1883 both men plead guilty to the murder of Officer O'Connell and were sentenced to life in Stillwater Prison. Officer O'Connell had served with the agency for nearly one month.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MN-E79914BE
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

144 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer O'Connell served with the Saint Paul Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Saint Paul community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Saint Paul Police Department

Location Saint Paul, MN

Platform Identity sainpd.ramsey.mn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 17, 1882

Tour of Duty 1 mo

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .32 caliber

Offender Not available

Police Officer Daniel O'Connell 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 MN, 173 of 293 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59% of this state's fallen. That is 4.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Saint Paul Police Department, 20 of 33 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.6% of this agency's fallen.

Saint Paul Police Department

of 33 officers

60.6% Felonious

MN — Statewide

173

of 293 officers

59% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious