Michael J. Lawrence
Agency patch
Sergeant

Michael J. Lawrence

Minneapolis Police Department — Minneapolis, MN
Felonious
End of Watch December 30, 1925
Age 56
Tour of Duty 26 yrs
The Vigil Panel 50 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Michael Lawrence was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a robbery suspect at Fourteenth Avenue North and Sixth Street North. As he approached the man he was shot in the head and killed. The shooter was chased by other officers and shot and killed. Sergeant Lawrence had been employed with the Minneapolis Police Department for 26 years and was facing mandatory retirement on January 1, only two days away.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MN-5584DF6E
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

26 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Lawrence gave the Minneapolis Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Minneapolis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Lawrence.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN
Platform Identity mpd.hennepin.mn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 30, 1925
Tour of Duty 26 yrs
Age 56
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Sergeant Michael J. Lawrence 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 MN, 173 of 293 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59% of this state's fallen. That is 59 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Minneapolis Police Department, 32 of 50 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64% of this agency's fallen.

Minneapolis Police Department
32
of 50 officers
64% Felonious
MN — Statewide
173
of 293 officers
59% 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. Michael J. Lawrence's cause is highlighted.

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

How Michael J. Lawrence Compares

Age at Death
56
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
26
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Michael J. Lawrence is highlighted in Dec.

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. Michael J. Lawrence was killed by gun.

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