Roll of Honor

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Captain

William H. Mathews

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch March 5, 1909

Age 53

Tour of Duty 23 yrs

Badge 234

The Vigil Panel 23 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 130

Incident

Captain William Mathews was shot and killed by one of his officers while reprimanding him. The officer was called to Captain Mathews' office at the Fifth Precinct Station, on the 200 block of South Carolina Avenue, SE, to be reprimanded for not reporting to Reserve Duty. A struggle ensued and Captain Mathews was shot by the officer. The officer was arrested at the scene. Captain Mathews was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for 23 years. He was survived by his wife and child. He is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Washington, DC.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DC-9D347785
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. Army. 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.
Captain Mathews gave the Metropolitan Police Department 23 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington 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 Metropolitan Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 5, 1909

Tour of Duty 23 yrs

Age 53

Badge Number 234

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

William H. Mathews served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Captain William H. Mathews 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 DC, 754 of 1,419 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.1% of this state's fallen. That is 53.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Metropolitan Police Department, 70 of 131 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.4% of this agency's fallen.

Metropolitan Police Department

of 131 officers

53.4% Felonious

DC — Statewide

754

of 1,419 officers

53.1% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious