Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Neil Wells was shot and killed while he and other officers were investigating a complaint of drug dealing in a partially vacant apartment building at Cherrylawn and Ellsworth.
Officer Wells was in plain clothes and wearing a vest. As he searched the building, he encountered one of the suspects and was shot twice, once in the chest and once in the side, with an AK-47 rifle. At least one of the rounds bypassed his vest.
Three suspects were apprehended at the scene shortly after the shooting. The shooter was determined to have been released early from prison after using a false name. He was apprehended after murdering Officer Wells and sentenced to 62 to 92 years for the murder.
Officer Wells was a member of a unit that policed high-crime areas, serving with the Detroit Police Department for 14 years.
Survivors
He is survived by a teenage son and a teenage daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-0E9F9756- 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.
Police Officer Wells gave the Detroit Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Wells.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Neil Keith Wells 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Neil Keith Wells's cause is highlighted.
How Neil Keith Wells Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 92 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Neil Keith Wells is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Neil Keith Wells was killed by rifle; ak-47.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
249 officers from Detroit Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
