William J. Taylor

Mansfield Police Department — Mansfield, OH

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 26, 1949

Age 38

Tour of Duty 6 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 85 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 3

Incident

Lieutenant William Taylor was shot and mortally wounded during a domestic call at 321 East Fourth Street in Mansfield. Lieutenant Taylor and two other officers responded to a report of a man shooting a gun in the air after threatening his family members. When the officers arrived, the man went into his bedroom and refused to come out. When he finally agreed to come out, he had a .22 cal. pistol in his hand. When Lieutenant Taylor grabbed the gun, the suspect pulled away and shot the officer twice in the abdomen. One of the other officers returned fire, killing the suspect. Lieutenant Taylor died from his wounds eight days later. Lieutenant Taylor was a United States Navy World War II veteran, having served as a boatswain's mate aboard an LSM in several Pacific invasions. He served with the Mansfield Police Department for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-36A12ADB
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 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.
Lieutenant Taylor gave the Mansfield Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Mansfield 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 Mansfield Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Mansfield, Richland County, OH

Platform Identity mpd.richland.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 26, 1949

Tour of Duty 6 yrs 6 mo

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

William J. Taylor served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Lieutenant William J. Taylor 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 57.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Mansfield Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Mansfield Police Department

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious