Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Salisbury was shot and killed attempting to protect a prisoner. The prisoner had been arrested for stabbing his wife and mother-in-law and was being guarded by Officer Salisbury at a local hospital. The prisoner's brother-in-law pushed his way into the room he was being guarded in and opened fire, killing the prisoner and mortally wounding Officer Salisbury as he tried to protect his prisoner. Officer Salisbury succumbed to his wounds two weeks later. The suspect was convicted of two counts of second degree murder on April 10, 1939, and sentenced to two terms of five years to life to run concurrently in San Quentin Prison.
Survivors
Officer Salisbury had been with the agency for 14 years and was survived by his wife and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-72C25A0E- 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
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Salisbury gave the San Francisco Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Salisbury.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Walter O. Salisbury 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At San Francisco Police Department, 66 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter O. Salisbury's cause is highlighted.
How Walter O. Salisbury Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter O. Salisbury is highlighted in Jan.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Walter O. Salisbury was killed by gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
105 officers from San Francisco Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
