Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Nels Hansen was one of many officers detailed to disperse protesters near Haymarket Square on May 4, 1886. Suddenly, a bomb exploded and a gun battle ensued. Officer Hansen suffered severe wounds. Officer Hansen was the seventh of eight officers to die in this incident. Officer Hansen had served with the Chicago Police Department for 16 months and was assigned to the 4th Precinct. He was survived by his wife and two children. Eight men were arrested and charged with murder. Seven were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The other one was sentenced to 15 years. On November 11, 1887, four were executed by hanging. The day before one of the suspects killed himself in his cell with a smuggled dynamite cap which he exploded in his mouth. The other three were pardoned by Governor Altgeld in 1893. Eight police officers were killed during the Haymarket Riot labor dispute. The officers were at the scene of a civil disorder when the rioters opened fire and threw a bomb into the crowd. Eight police officers suffered fatal wounds and 70 other people were injured by the gunfire and explosion. The officers who were killed included Patrolman Mathias Degan, Patrolman John Barrett, Patrolman George Miller, Patrolman Timothy Flavin, Patrolman Thomas Redden, Patrolman Nels Hansen and Patrolman Michael Sheehan. Patrolman Timothy Sullivan succumbed to his wounds two years later, on June 13, 1888.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-2638D90B- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
140 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Hansen gave the Chicago Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Nels Hansen 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 97,756 officers honored here.
In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Nels Hansen's cause is highlighted.
How Nels Hansen Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Nels Hansen is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Nels Hansen was killed by explosives.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
570 officers from Chicago Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
