Shane Russell Chadwick
Agency patch
Senior Officer

Shane Russell Chadwick

Great Falls Police Department — Great Falls, MT
Felonious
End of Watch September 7, 1994
Age 29
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Badge 167
The Vigil Panel 140 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Senior Officer Shane Chadwick was shot and killed while responding to a noise complaint in an alley behind the Leland Apartments on 8th Street, between 1st Avenue North and Central Avenue, at about 4:30 am. The subject was a mentally ill man known locally as the "Birdman." He was shoveling birdseed to hundreds of birds causing them to make lots of noise. As Officer Chadwick approached the subject the man suddenly turned and shot at him with two 9 mm handguns in an ambush. The man was later shot and killed by a police sniper. Officer Chadwick had served with the Great Falls Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MT-87FC129B
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.
Senior Officer Chadwick gave the Great Falls Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Great Falls community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Senior Officer Chadwick.

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

Agency

Location Great Falls, MT
Platform Identity gfpd.cascade.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 7, 1994
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 29
Badge Number 167
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun; 9 mm
Offender Shot and killed

Senior Officer Shane Russell Chadwick 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 MT, 93 of 142 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.5% of this state's fallen. That is 11.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Great Falls Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Great Falls Police Department
4
of 6 officers
66.7% Felonious
MT — Statewide
93
of 142 officers
65.5% 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. Shane Russell Chadwick'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 Shane Russell Chadwick Compares

Age at End of Watch
29
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Shot and killed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Shane Russell Chadwick is highlighted in Sep.

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. Shane Russell Chadwick was killed by handgun; 9 mm.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location