Edward William Gundel

Pennsylvania State Police — Harrisburg, PA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch March 18, 1962

Age 45

Tour of Duty 24 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 97 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 86

Incident

Sergeant Edward Gundel was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania, for assault. Officers saw the man entering a building through a window, and as Sergeant Gundel approached, he was shot twice with a 16-gauge shotgun. The suspect was apprehended and charged with murder. The suspect was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison. He was paroled in March of 1972. On June 28, 1972, he and three other inmates were arrested and charged with robbing and beating a 72-year-old man to death. The murder occurred in the man's home near the Schuylkill County Prison in 1969. It was determined that due to lax security, the inmates had escaped from the prison and returned without being noticed. Sergeant Gundel was a veteran of the Pennsylvania National Guard and served with the Pennsylvania State Police for almost 25 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-87615EE2
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.
Sergeant Gundel gave the Pennsylvania State Police 24 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Pennsylvania, 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 Pennsylvania State Police

Location Harrisburg, PA

Platform Identity pasp.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 18, 1962

Tour of Duty 24 yrs 6 mo

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge

Offender Paroled in 1972

Military Service

Edward William Gundel served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant Edward William Gundel 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Pennsylvania State Police, 34 of 87 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 39.1% of this agency's fallen.

Pennsylvania State Police

of 87 officers

39.1% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious