Harry A. "Happy" Dowell

Toledo Police Dept. — Toledo, OH

Felonious

End of Watch June 9, 1921

Age 28

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 41 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 31

Incident

Patrolman Harry Dowell and Patrolman Harold Mosbrugger were shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a man threatening his landlady at 611 Walnut Street in Toledo. The suspects' landlady and her son had called in the complaint when the man threatened to kill them after receiving an eviction notice. The man shot Patrolman Mosbrugger when he entered the man's room. The man then holed up in his attic and engaged in a shootout with officers. When Patrolman Dowell arrived with the backup units, he was shot and killed while dismounting his motorcycle. The gunman had the officers pinned, and they were unable to assist Patrolman Dowell, who lay injured in the street. After an hour, the officers fired a machine gun from the house across the street, striking the suspect three times. The gunman retreated from the window and was later found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest. Patrolman Dowell had served with the Toledo Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three young children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-7FEB14E2
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Dowell gave the Toledo Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Toledo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Dowell.

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

Agency

Department Toledo Police Dept.

Location Toledo, OH

Platform Identity tpd.lucas.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 9, 1921

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Committed suicide

Patrolman Harry A. "Happy" Dowell 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Toledo Police Dept., 25 of 32 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 78.1% of this agency's fallen.

Toledo Police Dept.

of 32 officers

78.1% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious