William H. Katzenstein

Tucson Police Department — Tucson, AZ

Felonious

End of Watch July 26, 1902

Age 32

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 18 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 10

Incident

Officer William Katzenstein was shot and killed after responding to assist the fire department at a fire on South Meyer Street, near Broadway Avenue. Officer Katzenstein, who also served as the assistant chief of the Tucson Fire Department, placed his gunbelt in the Occidental Hotel and went back to the scene to assist with fighting the fire. As he was opening a fire hydrant he was ambushed and shot five times by a man who was seeking revenge for a friend who had been arrested by Officer Katzenstein. The subject, 22, who shot him was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to death. In 1906 Governor Joseph H. Kibbey commuted his sentence to life after doctors failed to agree about his sanity. In 1919 his life sentence was commuted to 30 years making him eligible for parole in 1924. Officer Katzenstein had served with the Tucson Police Department for two years and had previously served with the Sacramento, California, Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, parents, and siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AZ-BE53545B
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Katzenstein gave the Tucson Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Tucson community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Katzenstein.

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

Agency

Department Tucson Police Department

Location Tucson, AZ

Platform Identity tpd.pima.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 26, 1902

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 32

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Sentence commuted to 30 years

Officer William H. Katzenstein is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AZ, 204 of 330 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Tucson Police Department, 6 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 54.5% of this agency's fallen.

Tucson Police Department

of 11 officers

54.5% Felonious

AZ — Statewide

204

of 330 officers

61.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious