Roll of Honor

Prev Next

Deputy Sheriff

Aslak O. "Oscar" Thorsen

Bottineau County Sheriff's Department — Bottineau, ND

Felonious

End of Watch July 1, 1936

Age 54

The Vigil Panel 71 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Oscar Thorsen was shot and killed by a mentally disturbed man holed up in a hotel. Officers were attempting to arrest the man on a civil disturbance charge. The suspect, an escapee from an insane asylum, was apprehended a few days later. When captured, it was discovered that he was suffering from sunstroke. He was admitted to a hospital, where he died on July 11, 1936.

Survivors

Deputy Thorsen was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-ND-9CE54D79
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Aslak. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Thorsen served with the Bottineau County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bottineau community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Thorsen.

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

Agency

Department Bottineau County Sheriff's Department

Location Bottineau, ND

Platform Identity bcso.bottineau.nd.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 1, 1936

Age 54

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Deceased

Deputy Sheriff Aslak O. "Oscar" Thorsen 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 ND, 39 of 61 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Bottineau County Sheriff's Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

ND — Statewide

of 61 officers

63.9% 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. Aslak O. "Oscar" Thorsen'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 Aslak O. "Oscar" Thorsen Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Deceased

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Aslak O. "Oscar" Thorsen 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. Aslak O. "Oscar" Thorsen was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518