Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Donald Brown succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained three days earlier while responding to a domestic disturbance at the home of a man fighting with his wife. As soon as Patrolman Brown and two other officers arrived, the man opened fire with a shotgun wounding all three officers. One of the officers returned fire wounding the suspect. The suspect was convicted of Patrolman Brown's murder and sentenced to life in prison on May 28th, 1963. He was paroled on October 7th, 1982. One of the officers who was wounded was struck in the eye with a shotgun pellet resulting in the loss of his sight in that eye. He was the brother of Toledo Patrolman Walter P. Boyle, shot and killed on December 8th, 1961. Patrolman Brown had served with the Toledo Police Department for seven years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-79523CEB- 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.
Patrolman Brown gave the Toledo Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Toledo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Brown.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Donald C. Brown 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 Toledo Police Dept., 25 of 32 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 78.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald C. Brown's cause is highlighted.
How Donald C. Brown Compares
Offender Outcome
Paroled in 1982
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Donald C. Brown is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Donald C. Brown was killed by shotgun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
31 officers from Toledo Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
