Harold K. Shelton
Agency patch
Officer

Harold K. Shelton

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Felonious
End of Watch May 3, 1959
Age 22
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 1 mo
The Vigil Panel 94 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Harold Shelton was shot and killed while chasing a shooting suspect through an alley near 7th Street and L Street, NW. Officer Shelton and his partner were returning to the station at the end of their shift when a citizen reported the shooting. During the chase, the suspect hid in a doorway and shot Officer Shelton as he passed by. The suspect was found guilty of Officer Shelton's murder and sentenced to 9 to 28 years in prison.

Survivors

Officer Shelton had been employed with the Metropolitan Police Department for one year, and is survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-363B7A11
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

You barely got started.
Officer Shelton gave the Metropolitan Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Shelton.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 3, 1959
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 1 mo
Age 22
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Officer Harold K. Shelton 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 97,772 officers honored here.

In DC, 754 of 1,418 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.2% of this state's fallen. That is 53.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Metropolitan Police Department, 70 of 131 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.4% of this agency's fallen.

Metropolitan Police Department
70
of 131 officers
53.4% Felonious
DC — Statewide
754
of 1,418 officers
53.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Harold K. Shelton's cause is highlighted.

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

How Harold K. Shelton Compares

Age at Death
22
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
1.1
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Harold K. Shelton is highlighted in May.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Harold K. Shelton was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location