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Police Officer

Ignatz Witkowski

Ford Village Police Department — Wyandotte, MI

Felonious

End of Watch July 4, 1922

Age 37

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 43 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Officer Ignatz Witkowski was shot and killed after being ambushed at the corner of 3rd Street and Davis Street in Wyandotte.

He had been followed by three suspects whom he had arrested several times for bootlegging. The men attacked him and shot him to death.

Officer Witkowski had served with the Ford Village Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and seven children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-9EA72534
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.
Police Officer Witkowski gave the Ford Village Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Wyandotte community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Witkowski.

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

Agency

Department Ford Village Police Department

Location Wyandotte, MI

Platform Identity fordvillagepd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 4, 1922

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Never identified

Police Officer Ignatz Witkowski 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Ford Village Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ignatz Witkowski's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Ignatz Witkowski Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Never identified

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ignatz Witkowski is highlighted in Jul.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ignatz Witkowski was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518