Leo Jonas Waldinger

Erie Police Department — Erie, PA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch November 26, 1949

Age 37

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 86 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 13

Incident

Sergeant Leo Waldinger and Patrolman Walter May were shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a hostage taker at the G. Daniel Baldwin Building at 10th and State Streets. An irate WWII veteran had taken a US Veterans Administration director hostage at the location. Sergeant Waldinger, who was off duty but responded to the call anyway, and Patrolman May arrived at the scene at the same time and attempted to persuade the suspect to release the hostage. When the officers saw an opening, they attempted to rush the suspect but were both shot and fatally wounded. Both officers were transported to a local hospital where they succumbed to their injuries several days later. The suspect was apprehended and committed to a mental hospital. He died at age 65 on December 16, 1986, at Warren State Hospital. Sergeant Waldinger was a United States Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Erie Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-57346471
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.
Sergeant Waldinger gave the Erie Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Erie community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Erie Police Department

Location Erie, PA

Platform Identity epd.erie.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 26, 1949

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Committed

Military Service

Leo Jonas Waldinger served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant Leo Jonas Waldinger 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Erie Police Department, 7 of 14 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Erie Police Department

of 14 officers

50% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious