Roll of Honor
Steven Mitchell
Incident
Patrol Officer Steven Mitchell died the following day after being stabbed repeatedly when he and his partner responded to a suspicious person call. He and his partner briefly spoke with the complainant to obtain a description of the prowler and began a search. Officer Mitchell knocked at the front door of a house at 1501 East 56th Street while his partner checked the rear of the location. The occupant responded to Officer Mitchell's knock and stepped outside to talk to Officer Mitchell. He turned toward the street, took a 14-inch kitchen knife from his waistband, and attacked Officer Mitchell from the rear. Officer Mitchell, although mortally wounded, continued to struggle with the suspect. The man gained control of Officer Mitchell's service weapon and used it to shoot his partner. Despite his wounds, Officer Mitchell continued to search for the suspect after retrieving his partner's service weapon. Officer Mitchell died the following day of his wounds. The suspect was apprehended but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Officer Mitchell was a United States Army Vietnam War veteran and had served with the University of Chicago Police Department for five years.
Survivors
He was survived by his son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-BB99F0E5- 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.
Patrol Officer Mitchell gave the University of Chicago Police Department 5 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Steven Mitchell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrol Officer Steven Mitchell 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 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 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Steven Mitchell's cause is highlighted.
How Steven Mitchell Compares
Offender Outcome
Acquitted
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Steven Mitchell is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Steven Mitchell was killed by edged weapon; knife.