Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Terry McDowell was shot and killed as he and his partner attempted to serve a traffic citation to a woman at her home for driving without a license.
The woman had driven to the police station earlier in the day to pick her husband up after he had been arrested on a DUI charge. When it was discovered the woman did not have a driver's license, the two officers told her to walk home. Officer McDowell and his partner then went to her home to serve the citation.
While the officers were knocking on the door, the woman's husband fired a .357 caliber handgun through the door without warning, striking Officer McDowell in the chest above his vest. He immediately fired a second time, striking Officer McDowell's partner in the face and eye, seriously wounding him. As Officer McDowell's partner retreated and called for assistance, the suspect stood over Officer McDowell's body and shot him several more times. Backup officers arrived on the scene and shot the suspect in the leg. The suspect then walked to the backyard of his house and committed suicide.
The gun used by the suspect was found to have been stolen from the suspect's neighbor, who had been murdered.
Officer McDowell was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Whitehall Police Department for 12 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, an 8-year-old son, and an 11-month-old daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-F06F50B4- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer McDowell gave the Whitehall Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Whitehall community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Terry McDowell served in the Army (1984â1991) before joining law enforcement.
Police Officer Terry McDowell 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Terry McDowell's cause is highlighted.
How Terry McDowell Compares
Offender Outcome
Committed suicide
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Terry McDowell is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Terry McDowell was killed by handgun; .357 caliber.