Ezekiel Wentworth Hodsdon

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA

Felonious

End of Watch October 18, 1857

Age 25

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 2 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Patrolman Ezekiel Hodsdon was shot and killed by an unknown suspect as he attempted to arrest a second man at the intersection of Havre Street and Maverick Street. As Patrolman Hodsdon was placing one suspect under arrest, the other approached him from the rear and fatally shot him. Both suspects then fled. One of the suspects was pardoned by the governor in 1865 due to poor health. Patrolman Hodsdon had served with the Boston Police Department for one year.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, parents, and three siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-58A2913C
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Ezekiel. 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

169 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Hodsdon gave the Boston Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Boston Police Department

Location Roxbury Crossing, MA

Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 18, 1857

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Pardoned in 1865

Patrolman Ezekiel Wentworth Hodsdon 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Boston Police Department, 45 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.5% of this agency's fallen.

Boston Police Department

of 106 officers

42.5% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious