William C. Keating

Denver Police Department — Denver, CO

Felonious

End of Watch August 31, 1931

Age 45

The Vigil Panel 62 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 73

Incident

Officer Keating was shot and killed while investigating a burglary at a local showroom. He was using the call box on the street in front of the showroom as two youths were inside attempting to burglarize it. The suspects saw Officer Keating through the window and assumed he had seen them. In their haste to escape they broke out a window and fled. Hearing the noise, Officer Keating went to investigate the burglary. After an hour had passed the two suspects returned to the scene, but were confronted by Officer Keating who was still there. As he walked them to a call box to call for backup one of the suspect opened fire with a .38 caliber handgun. Officer Keating was transported to a local hospital where he was able to give a description of the suspects before succumbing to his injuries.

Both suspects, 20 and 23, were apprehended. The shooter was sentenced to death but received a new trial and was sentenced to life plus 65 years. He was paroled on November 10, 1953. The other suspect was sentenced to life. He was paroled on an unknown date but it was before the other suspect was paroled.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-CO-5598AE70
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Keating served with the Denver Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Denver community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Keating.

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

Agency

Department Denver Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Denver, Denver County, CO

Platform Identity dpd.denver.co.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 31, 1931

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Police Officer William C. Keating 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 97,772 officers honored here.

In CO, 235 of 360 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.3% of this state's fallen. That is 65.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Denver Police Department, 55 of 74 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 74.3% of this agency's fallen.

Denver Police Department

of 74 officers

74.3% Felonious

CO — Statewide

235

of 360 officers

65.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious