Edward Schaaf
Agency patch
Detective Sergeant

Edward Schaaf

Accident
End of Watch September 29, 1927
Age 41
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
The Vigil Panel 54 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Sergeant Edward Schaaf and Detective Douglas Chamblin were killed when a portion of a building collapsed on them during a tornado at Easton and Prairie Avenues. The officers were on patrol when they saw the tornado forming and attempted to take cover. As they were trying to get under the rear of their car the building collapsed crushing both of them. Detective Sergeant was killed at the scene and Detective Chamblin succumbed to his injuries 15 days later. More than 70 people were killed as a result of the storm.

Survivors

Detective Sergeant Schaaf had been with the agency for 16 years and was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-4ED1C995
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Sergeant Schaaf gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Schaaf.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 29, 1927
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Detective Sergeant Edward Schaaf is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In MO, 237 of 813 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.2% of this state's fallen. That is 29.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 56 of 176 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.8% of this agency's fallen.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
56
of 176 officers
31.8% Accident
MO — Statewide
237
of 813 officers
29.2% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Edward Schaaf's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Edward Schaaf Compares

Age at Death
41
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
16
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Edward Schaaf is highlighted in Sep.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location