Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey
Agency patch
Officer

Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Felonious
End of Watch February 2, 1968
Age 28
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Badge 704
The Vigil Panel 103 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Lawrence Dorsey was shot and killed while responding to a man with a gun call at 380 Eastern Avenue, NE. When he arrived he discovered a man with a shotgun. He ordered the man to drop the gun and as he attempted to arrest him a struggle ensued. The man fired the shotgun twice, striking Officer Dorsey both times. Officer Dorsey succumbed to his wounds five days later. Officer Dorsey had been with the Metropolitan Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-CD021BDA
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.
Officer Dorsey gave the Metropolitan Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Dorsey.

— 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 February 2, 1968
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 28
Badge Number 704
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Officer Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey 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. Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey's cause is highlighted.

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

How Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey Compares

Age at Death
28
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
5
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey is highlighted in Feb.

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. Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey was killed by shotgun.

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

Incident Location