Roll of Honor

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Officer

Stephen J. Ondas

Akron Police Department — Akron, OH

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch October 21, 1972

Age 27

Tour of Duty 6 mo

Badge 24

The Vigil Panel 110 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 27

Incident

Officer Stephen Ondas was shot and killed by the 19-year-old driver of a car he and his partner stopped for not having any headlights. The suspect had a traffic warrant, resisted arrest, and fled. The officers pursued the suspect, and a struggle ensued near the police cruiser, where the suspect grabbed Officer Ondas' firearm, shot Officer Ondas in the chest, and then shot his partner. His partner recovered after a short stay in the hospital. The suspect surrendered to police several hours later. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on February 20, 1973. He will be eligible for parole on March 1, 2023. Officer Ondas had served with the Akron Police Department for only six months.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and daughter, born a few weeks after his death.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-ADCFB962
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. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Stephen is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Ondas served with the Akron Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Akron community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Ondas.

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

Agency

Department Akron Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Akron, Summit County, OH

Platform Identity apd.summit.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 21, 1972

Tour of Duty 6 mo

Age 27

Badge Number 24

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Stephen J. Ondas served in the U.S. Air Force (1965â1968) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Stephen J. Ondas 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 57.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Akron Police Department, 16 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this agency's fallen.

Akron Police Department

of 28 officers

57.1% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious