W. C. Fitzgerald
Agency patch
Constable

W. C. Fitzgerald

Felonious
End of Watch March 12, 1878
The Vigil Panel 5 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Constable W. C. Fitzgerald was shot and killed while in pursuit of a group of drunk and disorderly people.

The group had entered the town of Trenton where they created a disturbance, recklessly firing their weapons. Constable Fitzgerald dispersed the group, but they began shooting again as soon as they were out of sight.

Constable Fitzgerald once again pursued the group but this time was ambushed and killed in a nearby field.

Two suspects were immediately brought into custody by the sheriff. Two other suspects escaped and were captured one week later in Vicksburg, Mississippi. One suspect was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Before the sentence began, an angry mob of citizens removed all four suspects from jail and lynched them in the courthouse square.

Constable Fitzgerald was survived by his wife and a child.

Survivors

Constable Fitzgerald was survived by his wife and a child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-LA-D150DA27
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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Tributes

148 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable Fitzgerald served with the Ouachita Parish Constable's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Monroe community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Monroe, LA
Platform Identity opco.ouachita.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 12, 1878
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Constable W. C. Fitzgerald 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 LA, 364 of 595 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.2% of this state's fallen. That is 61.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Ouachita Parish Constable's Office
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
LA — Statewide
364
of 595 officers
61.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. W. C. Fitzgerald's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How W. C. Fitzgerald Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. W. C. Fitzgerald is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. W. C. Fitzgerald was killed by gun; unknown type.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Ouachita Parish Constable's Office are honored on badge.nw.