William F. Wollborg
Agency patch
Police Officer

William F. Wollborg

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch August 5, 1920
Age 26
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Badge 761
The Vigil Panel 39 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Wollborg was shot and killed after being abducted while on duty. He and another officer had conducted a raid at a home on Leland Street. Officer Wollborg left the scene to use a police call box when he was ambushed at the intersection of St. Joseph Street and Dubois Street. His bullet-ridden body was thrown from a vehicle a short time later. The suspect was apprehended. It is believed Officer Wollborg was killed in retaliation for his testimony in a trial the previous day. On June 7, 1921, the 40-year-old suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled in 1931.

Survivors

Officer Wollborg had served with the Detroit Police Department for two years and was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-4B02BA4A
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 Wollborg gave the Detroit Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Wollborg.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 5, 1920
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 26
Badge Number 761
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Police Officer William F. Wollborg 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 MI, 426 of 719 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.2% of this state's fallen. That is 59.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.

Detroit Police Department
177
of 250 officers
70.8% Felonious
MI — Statewide
426
of 719 officers
59.2% 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 F. Wollborg's cause is highlighted.

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

How William F. Wollborg Compares

Age at Death
26
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William F. Wollborg 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 F. Wollborg was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location