Charles Wetsel

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Enforcement Division — Saint Paul, MN

Felonious

End of Watch October 1, 1897

Age 31

The Vigil Panel 14 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 17

Incident

Game Warden Charles Wetsel was stabbed to death while investigating out of season fishing and hunting near Fosston. He had discovered an Indian family netting fish and trapping muskrat off of their reservation. When he ordered them away from the lake the husband attacked him and stabbed him twelve times as the wife helped. Officer Wetsel shot and killed the husband, wife, and oldest child during the assault. The youngest child witnessed the incident and reported the murder. Warden Wetsel's body wasn't located until one week after his murder.

Survivors

Warden Wetsel was survived by his father.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MN-711BE457
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

129 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Game Warden Wetsel served with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Thank you for your service to the Saint Paul community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Enforcement Division

Location Saint Paul, MN

Platform Identity mdnredcons.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 1, 1897

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Knife

Offender Three shot and killed

Game Warden Charles Wetsel 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 MN, 173 of 293 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59% of this state's fallen. That is 4.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Enforcement Division, 5 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 27.8% of this agency's fallen.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Enforcement Division

of 18 officers

27.8% Felonious

MN — Statewide

173

of 293 officers

59% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious