William McNamara

Stamford Police Department — Stamford, CT

Accident Veteran

End of Watch December 18, 1973

Age 31

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 113 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Police Officer William McNamara was accidentally shot and killed by his partner during a shootout with a robbery suspect. The two officers had responded to a robbery call at a liquor store on Washington Boulevard. They located the man in a nearby hotel lobby holding the liquor store clerk at gunpoint. When the suspect saw Officer McNamara's partner, the man started to point his gun at the officer but was shot. Officer McNamara, who was trying to get a better position on the suspect, came out of a nearby room just as the shooting took place. The partner, who saw Officer McNamara's gun, then opened, turned, and shot Officer McNamara, thinking he was another suspect. Officer McNamara was taken to Stamford Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. The shooting was ruled accidental. Officer McNamara was a U.S. Navy veteran and had been with the Stamford Police Department for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, son, mother, and four siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CT-D9E868A2
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 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.
Police Officer McNamara gave the Stamford Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Stamford 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 Stamford Police Department

Location Stamford, CT

Platform Identity spd.western.ct.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 18, 1973

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

William McNamara served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer William McNamara is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In CT, 73 of 169 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 43.2% of this state's fallen. That is 12.2 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Stamford Police Department, 3 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Stamford Police Department

of 5 officers

60% Accident

CT — Statewide

of 169 officers

43.2% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident