Leland Dale Anderson
Police Officer

Leland Dale Anderson

Austin Police Department — Austin, TX
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch June 6, 1975
Age 26
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 115 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Leland Anderson was shot and killed with his own weapon at 8th Street and Congress Avenue after he stopped a van for a minor traffic violation. During the stop, three men attacked him when he attempted to arrest one of the subjects on outstanding traffic warrants. As the suspects fled in the van, they ran over Officer Leland. The three suspects were apprehended minutes later at 4th and Chalmers Streets after ramming several police cars. The suspects, ages 20, 21, and 24, were charged with capital murder. On November 14, 1975, the 24-year-old shooter was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life in prison. In 1976, the second suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison. The third suspect was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years. Officer Anderson was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Austin Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-41EDD049
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Leland is one person.

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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.
Police Officer Anderson gave the Austin Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Austin, TX
Platform Identity apd.travis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 6, 1975
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 26
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Leland Dale Anderson served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Leland Dale Anderson 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Austin Police Department, 12 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Austin Police Department
12
of 28 officers
42.9% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,460
of 2,421 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Leland Dale Anderson's cause is highlighted.

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

How Leland Dale Anderson Compares

Age at Death
26
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Leland Dale Anderson is highlighted in Jun.

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. Leland Dale Anderson was killed by officer's handgun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Leland Dale Anderson served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit Leland Dale Anderson’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.