Roll of Honor

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Sheriff

Benjamen McLean

Shelby County Sheriff's Office — Sidney, OH

Felonious

End of Watch February 9, 1866

Age 44

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 3 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Sheriff Benjamen McLean died from wounds he received from a beating he took trying to arrest two horse thieves at night on the north side of Sidney Square. Sheriff McLean had served for three years with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. He had been a salesman before becoming Sheriff. He was survived by his wife and six children. Sheriff McLean is buried in Graceland Cemetery in Sidney, Ohio.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-1B0C45D4
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

160 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Sheriff McLean gave the Shelby County Sheriff's Office 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sidney community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Shelby County Sheriff's Office

Location Sidney, OH

Platform Identity scso.shelby.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 9, 1866

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 44

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Not available

Offender Not available

Sheriff Benjamen McLean 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Shelby County Sheriff's Office

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% 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. Benjamen McLean'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 Benjamen McLean Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Not available

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Benjamen McLean is highlighted in Feb.

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. Benjamen McLean was killed by not available.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518