William D. Montgomery
Police Officer

William D. Montgomery

Montgomery Police Department — Montgomery, AL
Felonious
End of Watch August 24, 1886
Age 24
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 9 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer William Montgomery was shot and killed at police headquarters by a subject who was seeking revenge for being arrested for public intoxication earlier in the evening.

The subject had come back to the police department with the intent of shooting the captain who had arrested him, but instead shot Officer Montgomery.

The suspect was adjudged insane and sent to an insane asylum in Tuscaloosa. After six months he was adjudged sane and charged with murder. He was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to two years and six months in prison.

Officer Montgomery had served with the Montgomery Police Department for three years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-8744706C
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

140 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Montgomery gave the Montgomery Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Montgomery community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Montgomery, Montgomery County, AL
Platform Identity mpd.montgomery.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 24, 1886
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 24
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Shotgun

Police Officer William D. Montgomery 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 63 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Montgomery Police Department, 16 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this agency's fallen.

Montgomery Police Department
16
of 28 officers
57.1% Felonious
AL — Statewide
405
of 643 officers
63% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William D. Montgomery's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How William D. Montgomery Compares

Age at Death
24
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William D. Montgomery is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William D. Montgomery was killed by shotgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909