Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Walter Hart was shot and killed by three suspects following a holdup at the Grey Eagle Café at 201 W. Sixth Street in Cincinnati at 11:50 pm. Two suspects entered the restaurant with weapons and announced the holdup while another waited outside as the lookout man. Detective Hart guided all the patrons to the safety of the restrooms before drawing his service weapon. He shot one suspect who was pulling cash from the cash register. Another suspect shot him in the back and heart. He returned fire, and the suspects fled the café. Detective Hart was transported to Cincinnati General hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds at 12:36 am. The three suspects had met in prison and were on parole. Two suspects were apprehended immediately. One suspect, who was wounded, was apprehended and pled insanity. He was found innocent due to insanity and died at the Lima State Hospital. The third suspect was apprehended 17 months later in Alabama. The two suspects were sentenced to death and subsequently executed on July 7, 1958. Detective Hart had been with the Cincinnati Police Department for 26 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-287617C7- 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
26 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Hart gave the Cincinnati Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Hart.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Walter Hart 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%.
At Cincinnati Police Department, 63 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter Hart's cause is highlighted.
How Walter Hart Compares
Offender Outcome
Executed in 1958
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Hart is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Walter Hart was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
105 officers from Cincinnati Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
