Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Walter Bowman was struck and killed by a vehicle while engaged in a shootout with two robbery suspects.
The two had just robbed a service station at Long Siding. Deputy Bowman was sent to investigate and located the vehicle approximately three miles north of Princeton. He signaled the car to stop, and as it came to a halt both subjects immediately opened fire on him.
Deputy Bowman had exited his car and was attempting to return fire when he was struck by an oncoming car that did not see him. Both suspects fled the scene after he was struck.
Deputy Bowman made a deathbed statement absolving the driver of the car of any responsibility for the crash.
Deputy Bowman had served with the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office for two years.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MN-7ED7DB43- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Bowman gave the Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Milaca community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Bowman.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff J. Walter Bowman 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 MN, 84 of 293 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 28.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.3 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office, 2 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. J. Walter Bowman's cause is highlighted.
How J. Walter Bowman Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. J. Walter Bowman is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Mille Lacs County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
