David Wilber, Jr.

Chelsea Police Dept. — Chelsea, MA

Felonious

End of Watch July 8, 1871

Age 41

The Vigil Panel 4 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Officer Wilber and his partner were on foot patrol when a man approached and shot Officer Wilber, killing him. Officer Wilber's partner returned fire, but the suspect escaped. He was later apprehended and it was discovered that he killed Officer Wilber because he was upset about being arrested for assault two years earlier.

He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.

Survivors

Officer Wilber was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-16F5975B
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

155 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Wilber served with the Chelsea Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chelsea community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Chelsea Police Dept.

Location Chelsea, MA

Platform Identity cpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 8, 1871

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Police Officer David Wilber, Jr. 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Chelsea Police Dept., 2 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.

Chelsea Police Dept.

of 7 officers

28.6% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious