Donald T. McHale

Minneapolis Police Department — Minneapolis, MN

Felonious Veteran →

End of Watch March 25, 1951

Age 36

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 87 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 49

Incident

Patrolman Donald McHale was killed after being pushed through a window, causing him to suffer deep cuts on his legs. He and a friend had just left a club when two men approached them and attempted to rob them. Patrolman McHale identified himself as an officer and chased one of the men. During the ensuing struggle Patrolman McHale was pushed through a glass window of a department store at Lake Street and 17th Avenue South. The subjects were apprehended but were not prosecuted due to lack of evidence. Patrolman McHale was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII and served with the Minneapolis Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by wife, five children, and a brother who was a detective with the agency.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MN-F2D63A45
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 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.
Patrolman McHale gave the Minneapolis Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Minneapolis 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

Department Minneapolis Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Minneapolis, Hennepin County, MN

Platform Identity mpd.hennepin.mn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 25, 1951

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Person

Military Service

Donald T. McHale served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Donald T. McHale is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,587 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 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.

At Minneapolis Police Department, 32 of 50 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64% of this agency's fallen.

Minneapolis Police Department

of 50 officers

64% Felonious

MN — Statewide

173

of 293 officers

59% Felonious

Nationwide

17,559

of 32,587 officers

53.9% Felonious