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Police Officer

William C. Wilson

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch September 3, 1934

Age 46

Tour of Duty 13 yrs 6 mo

Badge 4005

The Vigil Panel 68 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 377

Incident

Police Officer William Wilson was shot to death when he was accompanying a theater manager, making his night deposit at 9:20 p.m. While Officer Wilson was attempting to deposit money at the bank on Kensington Avenue and Huntingdon Street, five youths approached him from behind. After knocking Officer Wilson down, they fired six bullets into his torso. The theater manager, who was waiting in the car, hid under the seats when the subjects fired at him and deluged the vehicle with bullets. Then, they shot Officer Wilson five more times. He was transported to Episcopal Hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. Four suspects were later arrested. The youths had a lengthy criminal record and were all on probation. Two of the suspects were convicted and sentenced to life in prison. The other two suspects were convicted of Officer Wilson's murder and subsequently executed on April 8, 1935. Officer Wilson was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWI and had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 13 and a half years.

Survivors

He was survived by his daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-F525C5F0
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. William is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Wilson gave the Philadelphia Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 3, 1934

Tour of Duty 13 yrs 6 mo

Age 46

Badge Number 4005

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

William C. Wilson served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer William C. Wilson 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

162

of 378 officers

42.9% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious