Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer William Whitfield succumbed to gunshot wounds suffered five months earlier while chasing a suspect. Officer Whitfield was in plain clothes on foot patrol when he entered an alley just west of 3500 North Collage Avenue and noticed a roughly-dressed man. He asked the man what he was doing there, and the man suddenly turned and ran, with Officer Whitfield in pursuit. During the chase, the man suddenly turned and fired several shots from a revolver, striking Officer Whitfield once in the abdomen. He was able to stumble back to the street, where he collapsed. Passers-by took him to a hospital where he lingered for five months before succumbing to his injuries. The suspect was never captured. Officer Whitfield had served with the Indianapolis Police Department for 12 years. He was survived by his two sisters. As he was initially buried in an unmarked grave, on November 30, 1998, he was given a full-honors funeral after members of the department contributed to the purchase of a headstone for his grave site. Officer Whitfield is the first known African-American law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in the state of Indiana and the first of three unsolved police murders in Indianapolis.
Survivors
He was survived by his two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-59E213F6- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew William. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Whitfield gave the Indianapolis Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Indianapolis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Whitfield.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer William Whitfield 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 61.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Indianapolis Police Department, 38 of 59 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Whitfield's cause is highlighted.
How William Whitfield Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Whitfield is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Whitfield was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
58 officers from Indianapolis Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
