Wil G. Thrower

Tuscaloosa Police Department — Tuscaloosa, AL

Felonious

End of Watch August 30, 1914

The Vigil Panel 29 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Officer Wil Thrower was shot and killed while speaking with a person outside of The Green Fly dance hall at 1926 Dinah Washington Avenue. A suspect approached the two, started arguing with Officer Thrower, and then shot him four times. Officer Thrower had been involved in the investigation of several cases charging the suspect who shot him with violations of the prohibition law. The suspect, who turned later turned himself in, was the same suspect charged with murdering Officer J.A. Mansfield on November 20th, 1912. He was acquitted of Officer Mansfield's murder. After five trials he was convicted of manslaughter in Officer Thrower's death and sentenced to three years in prison. Officer Thrower's brother, Deputy Sheriff John Thrower, was shot and killed in the line of duty on August 17th, 1920, while serving with the Tuscaloosa County Sheriff's Office.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-6AF1025F
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.
Officer Thrower served with the Tuscaloosa Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Tuscaloosa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Thrower.

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

Agency

Department Tuscaloosa Police Department

Location Tuscaloosa, AL

Platform Identity tpd.tuscaloosa.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 30, 1914

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Sentenced to 3 years

Officer Wil G. Thrower 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Tuscaloosa Police Department, 9 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Tuscaloosa Police Department

of 12 officers

75% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious