Walter Rynold May

Erie Police Department — Erie, PA

Felonious

End of Watch November 30, 1949

Age 45

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

The Vigil Panel 86 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 13

Incident

Patrolman Walter May and Sergeant Leo Waldinger 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.

Survivors

Patrolman May served with the Erie Police Department for 22 years and was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-B75EBDBE
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

22 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman May gave the Erie Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Erie community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman May.

— 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 30, 1949

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Age 45

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Committed

Patrolman Walter Rynold May 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