Roll of Honor

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Trooper

Donald C. Pederson

Wisconsin State Patrol — Madison, WI

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch August 26, 1972

Age 31

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Badge 343

The Vigil Panel 110 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 7

Incident

Trooper Pete Pederson was shot and killed in an ambush by a 16-year-old boy while investigating an accident scene. Trooper Pederson had been dispatched to an accident scene and, upon arrival, located a vehicle in a ditch. As he approached the vehicle, the boy, who was hiding at the front of the vehicle, opened fire and fatally wounded Trooper Pederson. The suspect fled but was later apprehended. It was determined that Trooper Pederson had issued the boy a citation earlier in the evening, but the boy refused to give a motive as to why he ambushed him. The suspect was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 5 to 25 years at the Green Bay State Reformatory on December 1, 1972. Trooper Pederson was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Wisconsin State Patrol for six years, assigned to District 3. Before that, he had been a police officer in Rhinelander.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, mother, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WI-C7847D36
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Donald is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Trooper Pederson gave the Wisconsin State Patrol 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Wisconsin, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Wisconsin State Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Madison, WI

Platform Identity whp.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 26, 1972

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 31

Badge Number 343

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Donald C. Pederson served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Donald C. Pederson is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In WI, 159 of 317 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50.2% of this state's fallen. That is 50.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Wisconsin State Patrol, 2 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Wisconsin State Patrol

of 8 officers

25% Felonious

WI — Statewide

159

of 317 officers

50.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious