Roll of Honor

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Sergeant

William T. Shanley

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch December 14, 1933

Age 42

Tour of Duty 17 yrs 6 mo

Badge 760

The Vigil Panel 67 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 570

Incident

Sergeant William Shanley was shot and killed while investigating reports of a man who had dropped off a suspicious vehicle at a repair shop at 5320 N. Broadway. Sergeant Shanley's partner went to a nearby call box to report their location as Sergeant Shanley entered the garage. The garage owner informed him that the man would be back at 4:30 pm. When the man returned with a female companion, Sergeant Shanley confronted him and asked to see his driver's license. The man reached into his overcoat, produced a revolver, and fatally shot Sergeant Shanley. The suspect was a member of the notorious Dillinger Gang and had recently escaped from the Indiana State Penitentiary in Michigan City, Indiana. He was later found murdered in Wisconsin. Sergeant Shanley was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Chicago Police Department for over 17 years. He was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters. He is buried in All Saints Catholic Cemetery and Mausoleum, Des Plaines, Cook County, Illinois. Led by John Dillinger, the Dillinger Gang was a notorious group of Midwest bank robbers. Associates of the gang were responsible for the fatal shootings of 13 law enforcement officers in 1933 and 1934. Two infamous members of the gang, John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson, were shot and killed by law enforcement officers in separate incidents. The other gang members were either murdered by criminals, shot and killed by law enforcement officers, executed for their crimes, or sentenced to time in prison. Click here to see all the officers killed by members of the Dillinger Gang

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-E065F739
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.
Sergeant Shanley gave the Chicago Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago 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 Chicago Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Chicago, Cook County, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 14, 1933

Tour of Duty 17 yrs 6 mo

Age 42

Badge Number 760

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

William T. Shanley served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sergeant William T. Shanley 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

396

of 571 officers

69.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious