Roll of Honor
Donald R. "Charley" Knepple
Incident
Probation Officer Donald Knepple was shot and killed after being ambushed by a man at a counseling center on South Calhoun Street in Fort Wayne.
The suspect, a former juvenile corrections officer who had been convicted of attempted child molestation, had arranged a meeting with his counselor and Probation Officer Knepple with the intent of murdering them both. As the meeting took place at about 10:00 am, the suspect fatally shot both of them in the head before he fled to the rear of the center and committed suicide. At the time of the incident Probation Officer Knepple, like other officers in his department, were not armed.
Probation Officer Knepple had served with the Allen County Adult Probation Department for 12 years. He was a US Army veteran of the Vietnam War and an Air National Guard reservist.
Survivors
Probation Officer Knepple was survived by his wife, 16-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-E9082926- 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 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.
Probation Officer Knepple gave the Allen County Adult Probation Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fort Wayne community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Donald R. "Charley" Knepple served in the Army (1968â1970) before joining law enforcement.
Probation Officer Donald R. "Charley" Knepple 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald R. "Charley" Knepple's cause is highlighted.
How Donald R. "Charley" Knepple Compares
Offender Outcome
Committed suicide
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Donald R. "Charley" Knepple is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Donald R. "Charley" Knepple was killed by handgun; 9 mm.