Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Thomas Ward and Lieutenant William Smith were shot and killed after responding to the scene of a bank robbery at the Meramec Trust Company, at the intersection of Meramec Street and Virginia Avenue. A passerby had alerted the officers to the robbery and several officers surrounded the building. As the robbers came an intense shootout erupted. The getaway driver fled the scene, leaving the three armed men alone. A running gun battle took them to a house on Minnesota Street where the men took refuge in the basement of a house. As officers attempted to surround the house both Lieutenant Smith and Officer Ward were shot. The three men were eventually apprehended. During the shooting, a little girl was shot and wounded as she walked out of a nearby church. Officer Ward succumbed to his wounds the following day and Lieutenant Smith succumbed to his wounds one month later. The three suspects were convicted of murder. Two, 23 and 24, were sentenced to life, and the other, age 17, to 30 years. The one sentenced to thirty years was paroled in November of 1935. Three years later he was convicted of possession of counterfeit money and sentenced to five years in federal prison. One sentenced to life died in a prison hospital on April 12, 1942. The other was paroled on June 27, 1946.
Survivors
Officer Ward had been with the agency for 24 years and was survived by his sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-AE2745B9- 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
24 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Ward gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 24 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Ward.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Thomas Ward 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 112 of 176 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Ward's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Ward Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Ward is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Thomas Ward was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
175 officers from St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
