Nelson F. Bell, Jr.

Baltimore Police Dept. — Baltimore, MD

Accident

End of Watch October 27, 1978

Age 29

Tour of Duty 4 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 120 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 150

Incident

Police Officer Nelson Bell succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained five days earlier after responding to the Trailways Bus Terminal, at 210 West Fayette Street, to backup officers who were being shot at by a man with a compound bow. During the ensuing shootout, the suspect was shot and killed. After the shooting ended Officer Bell was found approximately 30-feet away suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was transported to the University of Maryland Hospital where he succumbed to his wound a short time later. It was determined that Officer Bell was not in the direct line of fire of the suspect or other officers involved in the shooting and that he was struck by a police rifle round that had ricocheted off of the hallway walls. Officer Bell had served with the Baltimore City Police Department for 4.5 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-0AA15F8D
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 Bell gave the Baltimore City Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Bell.

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

Agency

Department Baltimore Police Dept.

Location Baltimore, MD

Platform Identity baltpd.baltimore.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 27, 1978

Tour of Duty 4 yrs 6 mo

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Weapon Officer's rifle

Offender Shot and killed

Police Officer Nelson F. Bell, Jr. is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MD, 140 of 377 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 37.1% of this state's fallen. That is 6.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Baltimore Police Dept., 52 of 151 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 34.4% of this agency's fallen.

Baltimore Police Dept.

of 151 officers

34.4% Accident

MD — Statewide

140

of 377 officers

37.1% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident