Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police William Bearshield was stabbed to death by a man who had been harassing him at a pow-wow at Milks Camp. When the chief confronted the man he was stabbed. The 18-year-old suspect was arrested by FBI agents and charged on a federal warrant with second-degree murder. On December 5, 2009, the suspect was a victim of a murder-suicide after his son, 22, shot and killed him and then himself in an apartment in Clarksville, Tennessee. Chief Bearshield had served with the Gregory Police Department for four years. He was buried at Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Gregory.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, three daughters, two sons, one grandchild, and six siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-SD-9839D047- 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.
Chief of Police Bearshield gave the Gregory Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gregory community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Bearshield.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police William Arnold Bearshield, Sr. 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 SD, 36 of 62 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.1% of this state's fallen. That is 3.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Arnold Bearshield, Sr.'s cause is highlighted.
How William Arnold Bearshield, Sr. Compares
Offender Outcome
Charged with murder
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Arnold Bearshield, Sr. is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Arnold Bearshield, Sr. was killed by edged weapon.