Charles E. McDougald

Buffalo Police Department — Buffalo, NY

Felonious

End of Watch April 9, 1997

Age 36

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Badge 2778

The Vigil Panel 143 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 50

Incident

Officer Charles McDougald and another officer were shot at approximately 12:45 a.m. after attempting to question a suspicious person who may have been stripping a car. The officers found the subject emerging from a yard on Northhampton Street in Buffalo. As the officers approached, the suspect turned and fired at them. Officer McDougald was struck in the chest and died a short time later at the hospital. He was not wearing a vest at the time of the shooting. His partner was also hit but survived his wound. The 18-year-old suspect, who had a previous history of violent crimes and was out on bail, was found guilty of murder of a police officer and attempted murder of a police officer and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Officer McDougald had served with the Buffalo Police Department for 8 years and was assigned to Precinct 12.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-71A06FEE
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.
Police Officer McDougald gave the Buffalo Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer McDougald.

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

Agency

Department Buffalo Police Department

Location Buffalo, NY

Platform Identity bpd.erie.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 9, 1997

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 36

Badge Number 2778

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Sentenced to life

Police Officer Charles E. McDougald 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 NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Buffalo Police Department, 22 of 51 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.1% of this agency's fallen.

Buffalo Police Department

of 51 officers

43.1% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious